Federal drug-enforcement agents Friday raided the home of a Highlands Ranch man who a day earlier bragged in a 9News report about the large and profitable medical-marijuana-growing operation in his basement. Along with the raid, Jeffrey Sweetin, the Drug Enforcement Administration's special agent in charge of the Denver office, sent a message to anyone involved in Colorado's increasingly profitable medical-marijuana industry. "It's still a violation of federal law," Sweetin said. "It's not medicine. We're still going to continue to investigate and arrest people."
So I guess Obama either has disregarded earlier promises to eliminate DEA raids
on medical marijuana providers, or has lost control of the DEA. In March 2008, in an interview with the Willamette Week, Obama made this pronouncement:
on medical marijuana providers, or has lost control of the DEA. In March 2008, in an interview with the Willamette Week, Obama made this pronouncement: Q: Would you stop the DEA's raids on Oregon medical marijuana growers?
A: I would because I think our federal agents have better things to do, like catching criminals and preventing terrorism. The way I want to approach the issue of medical marijuana is to base it on science, and if there is sound science that supports the use of medical marijuana and if it is controlled and prescribed in a way that other medicine is prescribed, then it's something that I think we should consider.
He made similar promises elsewhere during the campaign, convincing many a libertarian that he might actually be serious about toning down raids on distributors that are not in violation of state medical marijuana laws
. Another one [promise] bites the dust.
. Another one [promise] bites the dust.