Political Provocateur

For once, it seems as though the Obama administration may be getting something right. Let the “thank goodnesses,” and “it’s about time’s” abound!

Via the Wall Street Journal:

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration won’t seek to arrest medical-marijuana users and suppliers as long as they closely conform to state laws.

Under a new policy spelled out in a three-page legal memo from the Justice Department, federal prosecutors are being told it isn’t a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law.

The guidelines do, however, make it clear that federal agents will go after people whose marijuana distribution goes beyond what is permitted under state law or use medical marijuana as a cover for other crimes. (See the full text of the memo.)

The memo advises prosecutors they “should not focus federal resources in your states on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.”

This is a significant departure from the policies of Obama’s most recent predecessors, Bush and Clinton, who had a zero-tolerance policy on the substance even when used for medical purposes. But this is the most sensible thing that has come out of Washington in a long time. Let’s hope this is only the first step in Obama reversing the absurd policies that make up the War on Drugs, but actually limit individual freedom.

We’ll see how this new policy pans out though, before bestowing too much laud and praise on it.

Oh, and in case you’re curious, the 14 states that do allow medical marijuana are Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.