DEA

The biggest medical marijuana news this week has to be the Oregon election that saw a pro-medical marijuana attorney general candidate win against a former interim US Attorney, but there was plenty of other news, as well.

In a bid to snuff out the federal medical marijuana crackdown, four US congressman have introduced an amendment that would bar the Justice Department from spending money to do so. Late Wednesday, it failed, but the issue went to the House floor.

The national battle over medical marijuana is heating up, Connecticut is about to become the 17th medical marijuana state, and state and local battles continue. And so do the DEA raids. Busy, busy, busy.

DEA agents arrested a San Diego college student in a drug bust, then forgot about him, leaving him in a holding cell for five days. Now, the California congressional delegation wants answers, and his lawyer wants the DEA to pay big bucks.

More DEA raids in California and Montana, and more action in the legislature in Connecticut and New Hampshire, among other medical marijuana news.

4/20 in Oakland was aimed squarely at the Obama administration and its attacks on medical marijuana distribution. Obama is alienating his base, protestors said, as they delivered a message to his local campaign headquarters.

The 2012 National Drug Control Strategy is out. It looks much like the 2010 strategy or the 2005 strategy or the 2000 strategy. There are a few new wrinkles, but nothing much has changed.

Oaksterdam University is bouncing back from the federal raid two weeks ago, but Richard Lee is stepping down to prepare for legal troubles and campaign for drug law reform.

Monday's federal raid on Oaksterdam University in Oakland has ignited a firestorm of criticism of heavy-handed federal efforts to clamp down on medical marijuana distribution. Meanwhile, battles continue to be fought from Washington, DC, to local city halls.

A San Francisco medical marijuana community already unhappy with federal raids on dispensaries was outraged and energized by Monday's raid on Oaksterdam. Hundreds of protestors went to the federal building to let the US Attorney know it.