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Colorado Rep. Jared Polis, Denver Attorney Give Their Take on Fed Pot Letter

Colorado Rep. Jared Polis and Denver attorney Robert Corry spoke out this week against federal scare tactics they said were being used to create uncertainty in Colorado’s medical marijuana community. "I hope the Justice Department will respect the laws passed by the voters of Colorado and the rules propagated by our General Assembly...The Department should follow the principles it outlined in the Ogden memo: that those who are in clear compliance with state laws will not be raided. Colorado has the most robust regulatory structure in the country and our dispensaries are clearly operating under state law," said Rep. Polis. Robert Corry added, "This campaign of fear on the part of the Obama Administration is reprehensible, even more so given our own Colorado Attorney General (former U.S. Attorney)'s apparent alliance with the Obama Administration against Colorado’s citizens...The U.S. government should begin with prosecuting itself, specifically the Food and Drug Administration. Since 1978, the FDA has distributed medical marijuana to patients through the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program."

Quit Playing Politics with Patients! (Action Alert)

Tell the US Attorney to Quit Playing Politics with Patients!

This week, the US Attorney for Colorado, John Walsh, issued a politically-charged memo reminding Coloradans that his office reserves the right to prosecute medical marijuana patients (if Walsh doesn't believe they are “seriously ill”) and medical marijuana providers—including licensed dispensaries that arefollowing state laws!  (See memo HERE)

This memo was one of five issued by U.S. Attorneys in different medical cannabis states in response to pending state medical marijuana legislation. While we think a large-scale crackdown on Colorado's MMJ licensees is unlikely and this memo is largely political, we need you to let John Walsh know that he should stop grandstanding to the detriment of sick patients and should TAKE ACTION to establish a Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.  Click above--  it only takes 1 minute to help!

Sensible Colorado is committed to working with government officials to secure patient access to medicine, and would happily serve on an Advisory Committee comprised of patients, doctors, law enforcement, industry professionals, government officials, and other stakeholders.  

**To support Sensible's work on behalf of medical marijuana patients and providers click HERE.

ACLU Urges Washington State Senators to Move Medical Marijuana Bill

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is urging state senators to ignore Gov. Chris Gregoire's threat to veto a bill that would set up a regulated medical marijuana dispensary system. The House and Senate have passed legislation to license dispensaries. After a warning from federal prosecutors of arrest liability for employees who break federal law, Gregoire said she'd veto legislation that requires state workers to implement a licensing system.

First Federal Agency to Acknowledge Medical Marijuana Removes Anti-Tumor Information from Database

Last week, The American Independent was first to report that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) had added a section on medical marijuana to its treatment database, making it the first federal agency to formally recognize marijuana’s medicinal properties. Now, for reasons unknown, NCI has altered the page by removing any mention of the evidence that marijuana can diminish and even reverse tumor growth. The American Independent is awaiting reply from NCI on the reasons for the change.

California Medical Marijuana Dispensary Plans to Take IRS to Court

The IRS is thought to have begun audits on at least 12 medical marijuana dispensaries in California under the determination that past business deductions are invalid because of a clause in the federal tax code prohibiting any business that traffics in Schedule I or II drugs from making business deductions on their tax returns. Lynette Shaw, founder and owner of the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, is hoping to strike back before the IRS can deliver any more "final determinations" to other dispensaries currently being audited. Shaw intends to file an appeal in U.S. Tax Court within the month. There is actually a precedent for just such a case, when in 2007, a San Francisco dispensary primarily catering to terminal AIDS patients got its payment cut down to just over 1 percent of what the IRS originally said it owed in back taxes.

HUD Says Medical Marijuana Policies Up to Local Housing Authorities

A Colorado-based non-profit has received a statement from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) making it clear that local housing authorities themselves are responsible for determining policies regarding medical marijuana use by recipients of federal housing assistance. "PHAs [public housing authorities] have discretion to determine, on a case by case basis, the appropriateness of program termination for the use of medical marijuana," Milan M. Ozdinec, the deputy assistant secretary for Public Housing and Voucher Program, said in the statement.

Puerto Rico Lawmaker Resigns Over Failed Drug Test

Rep. Rolando Crespo, a member of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, resigned his seat two days after officials disclosed that a drug test showed he had used cocaine. Crespo was first elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. He was president of the powerful Rules and Calendar Committee.

Mexico Criticizes US Coordination in Drug Prohibition War

Frustration over the failed drug prohibition war in Mexico continues to mount. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has rejected accusations that a lack of coordination in Mexico is undermining the fight against drug trafficking organizations, saying rivalry within U.S. intelligence agencies is to blame. The Mexican leader said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Intelligence Agency and Immigration and Customs Enforcement do not coordinate with each other on security matters, and said the agencies were rivals.
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