Obama's DOJ Cracks Down on Medical Marijuana: California vs. The Feds

The federal government is in the midst of a crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries across the state of California.

This is despite repeated claims from President Obama and his Department of Justice that they would not devote federal resources to circumventing state medical marijuana laws.

"The law has been hijacked by profiteers who are motivated not by compassion, but by money," said Melinda Haag, one of California's U.S. Attorneys, at a DOJ press conference on October 11, 2011.

Aaron Sandusky, owner of G3 Holistic, a group of medical marijuana dispensaries in California's Inland Empire, is one such target of the DOJ's crackdown on medical marijuana "profiteers." The DOJ sent him a letter promising to shut down his operations within 14 days. And they followed through.

Reason.tv talked to Sandusky, who's long battled the city of Upland's sordid handling of medical marijuana dispensaries, before and after he was raided.

"We all want the same thing," said Sandusky. "We want to see less crime. That's why we have these places."

Sgt. Glenn Walsh and Agent Mark Brewster, both members of the California Narcotic Officer's Association, believe that the stepped up enforcement from the DOJ is a positive development.

"There's no avenue in the law, whatsoever, to accommodate the sales of marijuana," Brewster said.

Walsh concurs, arguing that California's Prop 215 and SB 420 allow for the collective cultivation of medical marijuana but do not allow for a single cent to exchange hands during that process.

"If it's my land, and I want to help you cultivate marijuana [on it], I can do that," said Walsh. "You cannot, however, reimburse me for any expenses."

The prospect of cultivating and distributing a legal product to a large demand base without any money changing hands seems far-fetched to medical marijuana growers and sellers like Sandusky, who himself invested hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of his life in a grower's facility before it was raided and destroyed in early November.

"They seized all of our assets, all of my personal assets," said Sandusky. "I have sixty dollars in my pocket. That's it."

The DOJ has issued threatening letters to dozens of dispensaries across the state and plans to continue shutting them down one by one. While some in the government work to shield Obama from criticism on the issue, the President has so far remained curiously silent on the crackdowns.

About 10 minutes, 30 seconds. Written and Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Associate Producer is Tracy Oppenheimer. Shot by Paul Detrick, Oppenheimer, and Weissmueller.

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• MEDICAL MARIJUANA
• President Obama
• Department of Justice
• States Rights
• federalism
• Aaron Sandusky
• Zach Weissmueller
• Reason.tv
• Reason.com
• Reason Foundation
• Nick Gillespie
• libertarian
• DEA
• pot
• weed
• drug war
• Cannabis (drug)
• hypocrisy
• Barack Obama

[jibbityjab]

I know cops aren't the sharpest bunch but I'm pretty sure Reason sought out the dumbest they could find for this piece. The funniest part is @ 8:56 when the one tax-feeding enforcer-drone says that smoking weed is worse than killing people in order to control a black market. It's funny because he doesn't realizes how stupid what he is saying sounds until he is halfway through it. The look on his face when he realizes it is priceless.

[iamcoolstephen1234]

Marijuana is not worse than the cartels. That's stupid.

[robertpires87]

Obama = Mussoulini

[WildPegasus1991]

fuck you obama

[stevemcgee99]

Those cops would be surprised to realize they are communists.

[KittenKoder]

Honestly, if the medical users weren't such hypocrites (fighting against full legalization) I'd feel sorry for them. But at this point, I just honestly can't sympathize. I'm not for smoking pot, but I just don't see the harm in it. I smoke tobacco, and I just don't want to be a hypocrite. So just legalize it, okay, it would stop this kind of shit as well.

[zachboi13]

8:58

"The cartels are bad but the drugs are worse. The cartels just send drugs here and yes, they kill everybody to make sure its done. The drugs are what's destroying our society."

I'm sure the dead and the 500,000+ a year arrested for marijuana agree with prohibition because its the drugs that's killing us.

[XlPackratlX]

One thing bad about this video is that it's not a full documentary video. This subject about the seizure of these stores plus those two cops' perspectives would have made a great documentary alongside the Union.

[Sup3rL3monHA23]

Fuck the feds

[craigjamesk]

I don't trust anyone who is for seizing kids.

[ZEDSTODT2]

What a rip. Obama gets away with smoking crack with Larry Sinclair but we dont get to use weed! Its a double standard!! I demand a refund!

[Mertle77]

Why is alcohol legal and marijuana not legal? Yes, legalizing marijuana takes money out of government(s) hands. Many governments, including our federal government, use drug money for weapons to fund wars. It's politics as usual.