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Justice Dept. to Enforce Marijuana Laws Regardless of Prop 19 Vote

US Attorney General Eric Holder has, unsurprisingly, come out against California's Prop 19 marijuana legalization initiative. He said in a Wednesday letter to former DEA chief and at a press conference Friday in Los Angeles that the feds will continue to enforce federal pot laws no matter the election results.

Oops! Obama Offends DEA With Drug War Comments

President Barack Obama insulted -- albeit inadvertently -- the folks at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration by mentioning the FBI instead of their agency in remarks about the war on drugs. Over the years, the DEA has often felt neglected -- or at least has been in the shadow of the FBI. To boot, there have been occasional rumors over the years about the DEA being folded into the FBI, which also investigates drug cases.

Won't Get Fooled Again: Obama Breaks Medical Marijuana Promise (Opinion)

Using events in Colorado as a backdrop, Robert J. Corry, Jr., a criminal defense attorney, opines on President Obama's actions regarding medical marijuana policy. He says, in part, that "Obama has done the opposite of what we thought, and what he promised. Instead of caging that tiger, he has unleashed it."

Hundreds Plan Pro-marijuana Presence for Obama Visit (Press Release)

MEDIA ADVISORY 10/10/2010   12:00 NOON ET
PhillyNORML and NORML-NJ
Working to reform marijuana laws
www.phillynorml.org and  www.normlnj.org

CONTACT: Lawrence Frydman at [email protected] or Chris Goldstein at [email protected] or 505-577-5093 (mobile)

Philadelphia: Hundreds plan pro-marijuana presence for Obama visit today

A rally was organized by Philadelphia area college students to show President Obama that America is serious about legalizing cannabis.

The President and Vice President Joe Biden are making a campaign stop in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

The Facebook group shows over 600 people plan on attending today to hold signs or wear buttons and stickers. The theme is ‘Tax and Regulate’ using the marijuana leaf.

“We want President Obama to start working on legalizing marijuana nationally,” said Lawrence Frydman, one of the key organizers.

“This is also a way for people on the East Coast to support Prop. 19 in California.”

The upcoming CA ballot initiative would legalize and tax recreational marijuana. California voters get the measure on November 2 and current polls favor it passing by a slim margin.

PhillyNORML and NORML-NJ are the local chapters of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Volunteers and advocates from both groups are attending today to participate and support the student effort.

Local medical marijuana patients are attending to bring attention to the struggle they face for safe cannabis access.

Organizers are planning a 2:30 start time for participants.

For more information: www.phillynorml.org

CONTACT: Lawrence Frydman at [email protected] or Chris Goldstein at [email protected] or 505-577-5093 (mobile)

If California Legalizes Marijuana, How Will Obama React?

If Prop 19 passes and marijuana is legalized, California could become a "test-case" state in challenging federal laws on the matter. But what would this mean, practically? Well, a lot of it hinges on how President Barack Obama reacts.

Speak No Evil: DEA, DOJ Stay Mum on Medical Marijuana Raids

Despite campaign promises to the contrary, the Department of Justice under President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder hasn’t stopped raiding marijuana dispensaries operating in states where marijuana is legal for medical purposes. But the DOJ has demonstrated one marked change now that it’s under Democratic control: The department has stopped publicizing medical marijuana raids, both by requesting that more cases be sealed under court order and by refusing to distribute press releases.

Clinton Says Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations Looking Like Insurgency

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today that the violent, drug prohibition-created Mexican drug trafficking organizations were starting to look like an insurgency. Prohibition violence -- including beheadings, hangings and shootings -- has expanded from the border area to more of the country, including several car bombs for the first time this year. Mexican drug gangs have been blamed for the significant uptick in violence, increasingly against government officials and institutions.
poster of assassinated human rights advocate Ricardo Murillo
poster of assassinated human rights advocate Ricardo Murillo

US Withholds Some Mexico Drug Aid Over Human Rights Concerns

To gently chide Mexico for continuing human rights violations by its military, the US will withold $26 million that Mexico won't see until next year anyway. To make up for that, the US is releasing $36 million it withheld last year.
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