[Because we continually update our e-mailing list, this may be your first edition of our periodic news/update about medical marijuana and pain-treatment issues in Montana.] Feds Put More Tolerant Medical Marijuana Policy in Writing Newsweek Profiles Ethan Nadelmann Recent Montana News News/Web Items of Interest New Federal Acceptance of Medical Marijuana Now in Writing Yesterday, the US Attorney General’s office issued a “Memorandum for Selected United States Attorneys on Investigations and Prosecutions in States Authorizing the Medical Use of Marijuana.” The memo put in writing the AG’s previous verbal statements to the effect that the federal government would no longer seek to arrest or prosecute medical marijuana patients and providers who comply with their state medical marijuana laws. You can read the new federal guidance here: http://blogs.usdoj.gov/blog/archives/192 Obviously, this memo constitutes a dramatic step in a positive direction – not to mention at least partial fulfillment of one of President Obama's campaign promises. But this is only a step on the road toward full patient freedoms -- and considerable uncertainty continues nonetheless. For example: The memo doesn’t make clear what criteria the feds will use to decide whether a person appears in violation of state and local laws. Will the feds defer to the judgment of state and local law enforcement on this – or will the feds raid facilities that even local law enforcement officials regard as completely legal, as has occurred recently in California? Will federal courts continue to deny the use of any medical defense in those cases (if any) – that the government does choose to prosecute? Will the federal government drop its ongoing cases against providers and patients? Patients & Families United applauds the new written federal policy. In fact, the need to put the AG’s prior statements in writing was among the recommendations and requests we made when we met with Obama’s deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina, when he was in Helena last Spring. But the new policy also makes it all the more important for Montana patients and caregivers to understand – accurately – the nuances of Montana law. And, in numerous ways, continued federal prohibition still confounds true fulfillment of the intent of our state’s medical marijuana law. Newsweek Profiles Ethan Nadelmann Less than a month after his rousing speeches in Bozeman as a special guest of Patients & Families United, Ethan Nadelmann last week became the focus of a feature article in Newsweek magazine. Those of you who were able to attend our “Cannabis at the Capitol Comes to Bozeman” event last month will notice how many of the quotes in this article mirror the content of his talk that evening: Prohibition Fighter: Ethan Nadelmann’s fight to legalize marijuana – Newsweek, 10/15/09 http://www.newsweek.com/id/217570 In the next few weeks we will have DVDs of Nadelmann’s speech at the 3rd annual Montana Pain Initiative conference, and we will be able to make copies available at cost to those who are interested. In the meantime, you can watch his speech at “Cannabis at the Capitol Comes to Bozeman” in a seven-part series of You Tube presentations, here: Ethan Nadelmann in Bozeman, Montana – Part 1 of 7 You Tubes, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyFpbALbhPA Recent Montana News Medical marijuana users welcome change in federal policy – Great Falls Tribune, 10/20/09 http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20091020/NEWS01/910200302/1002 Feds won’t arrest medical marijuana patients, suppliers, in Montana, 13 other states – Missoulian, 10/20/09 http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_4c97c728-bcad-11de-abc3-001cc4c002e0.html News/Web Items of Interest New medical marijuana policy is outlined – New York Times, 10/19/09 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/19/us/AP-US-Medical-Marijuana.html?_r=1&hp Obama’s commendable change in federal drug enforcement policy – Salon.com, 10/19/09 http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/10/19/drugs/index.html President Obama issues new medical marijuana guidelines – NORML Blog, 10/19/09 http://blog.norml.org/2009/10/19/obama-administration-new-medical-marijuana-guidelines-are-issued/ Gateway drug policy: Will Obama’s new medical marijuana directive actually change anything? – Slate.com, 10/19/09 http://www.slate.com/id/2232915/ US support for legalizing marijuana reaches new high – Gallup, 10/19/09 http://www.gallup.com/poll/123728/U.S.-Support-Legalizing-Marijuana-Reaches-New-High.aspx Got pot? It’s legal to take it on the plane in Oakland – AlterNet, 10/19/09 http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/143345/got_pot_it's_legal_to_take_it_on_the_plane_in_oakland/ Marijuana mecca – Newsweek, 10/16/09 http://www.newsweek.com/id/40211#?l=1785302026&t=44992105001 Unprecedented civil disobedience for hemp legalization – AlterNet.com, 10/16/09 http://www.alternet.org/drugreporte...use_civil_disobedience_for_hemp_legalization_ Where to go to sow protest? DEA grass – Washington Post, 10/14/09 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/13/AR2009101301965.html In act of civil disobedience, hemp farmers plant hemp seeds at DEA headquarters – Stop the Drug War, 10/14/09 http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/special/civil_disobedience_farmers_plant_hemp_seeds_DEA Why is LA’s district attorney helping Mexican drug cartels? – LA Daily News, 10/13/09 http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n932/a11.html Why I give my 9 year-old pot, part 2 – Double X, 10/5/09 http://www.doublex.com/section/health-science/why-i-give-my-9-year-old-pot-part-ii [Founded in early 2007, Patients & Families United works to support Montana’s medical marijuana patients, regardless of their medical condition, and pain patients, whether they use medical marijuana or not. If you don’t want to be on the mailing list for these periodic updates, please email to tell us at info@mtpfu.org. Visit our website for background and information of use: www.mtpfu.org. We welcome feedback of any kind, including stiff, honest criticism, but we reserve the right to remove from our mailing lists anyone who makes a habitual practice of sending threatening or irrational “flames.”] Patients & Families United PO Box 1471 Helena, MT 59624 www.mtpfu.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
