Obama supports medical pot clubs

by cynthia yoo | May 12, 2008 at 12:01 pm

1052 views | 2 Recommendations | 15 comments

Clinton isn't so sure but Obama is in support of medical marijuana. He says that states should write their own legislation on medical marijuana regulations.

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois has become an increasingly firm advocate of ending federal intervention and letting states make their own rules when it comes to medical marijuana.
His Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, is less explicit, recently softening a pledge she made early in the campaign to halt federal raids in states with medical marijuana laws. But she has expressed none of the hostility that marked the response of her husband's administration to California's initiative, Proposition 215.

Ever since California voters became the first in the nation to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, the state has faced unyielding opposition from the federal government, which insists it has the power to prohibit a drug it considers useless and dangerous.

McCain has waffled on the issue.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican nominee-in-waiting, has gone back and forth on the issue - promising a medical marijuana patient at one campaign stop that seriously ill patients would never face arrest under a McCain administration, but ultimately endorsing the Bush administration's policy of federal raids and prosecutions.

Political battles over exempting medical patients from marijuana laws have been fought mostly in statehouses and at ballot boxes since 1996, when California voters repealed state criminal penalties for those who used the drug with their doctor's approval. But the federal government has played an important role in limiting the scope of those state laws, and their effectiveness over the next four years may be determined by the next president.

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moonwolf

at 16:13 on May 12th, 2008

About time someone said something reasonable about pot from the US political scene! Up until now there's been too much posturing and too much back room smoking in the Congress.

moonwolf

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:17 on May 12th, 2008

cynthia yoo,

rosiero

at 18:58 on May 12th, 2008

Haight St. shot. Nothing crazy :) Jus liked the sticker.

rosiero has contributed a photo to this story.

Fubar61274

at 19:43 on May 12th, 2008

Interesting subject. Maybe Hiliary will chime in about how she and her hubby used to smoke for the medicinal purposed back in the day to win the Mary Jane supporter votes.

Fubar61274 has contributed a photo to this story.

BlueKitty

at 20:18 on May 12th, 2008

I have been volunteering for my local Democratic Party (Lane Co. Oregon). I was able to get a pass to Obama's latest visit and stood about 15 feet away from him with a clear view. I was able to take a lot of great photos. It was a beautiful, warm evening right about sunset. The crowd really seemed excited about the message they heard. We have another week before our ballots are counted and we are being told that it is looking really good for a victory here in Oregon!

BlueKitty has contributed a photo to this story.

GGoodie

at 21:09 on May 12th, 2008

The price we pay for a seed and a herb. Continue to bless the world.

GGoodie has contributed a photo to this story.

MettaMomma

at 22:50 on May 12th, 2008

MettaMomma has contributed a photo to this story.

DiamonDie

at 00:17 on May 13th, 2008

Finally a U.S. politician saying something sensible - and actually firmly voicing a somewhat controversial opinion instead of just "waffling around" like all the other candidates seem to do.

DiamonDie has contributed a photo to this story.

art.cannabis

at 04:20 on May 13th, 2008

Next Generation of World Leaders Inhale Deeply at 420 Demonstration

art.cannabis has contributed a photo to this story.

bisous

at 08:50 on May 13th, 2008

This is the philosophy of cigarettes and life.

bisous has contributed a photo to this story.

luiexs

at 10:49 on May 13th, 2008

Smoking POT it is not a crime,

ALCoHOL SUCKS!!

luiexs has contributed a photo to this story.

FREETH1NKER

at 23:38 on May 15th, 2008

I drew this last year, this month and probably this week, kind of ironic now that i thought about it, but one day i want to draw it with sharpies and make it really colorful and abstract.

FREETH1NKER has contributed a photo to this story.

dansemy

at 09:11 on May 16th, 2008

Finally a politician that understands. Obama 08. McCain is wrong about everything including medical marijuana. Hope is more than just a word. Let's turn this thing around!

dansemy has contributed a photo to this story.

mabone

at 17:35 on September 1st, 2008

If we have any hope of legitimizing this herb as medicine, we must clean up our industry and police the internal conflict between profit and greed, and lean more toward compassion and healing from within. Amen !

master_jim2008

at 17:43 on September 1st, 2008

When my father was terminally ill with pancreatic and liver cancer, I never thought in a million years that he'd use pot for it, but after he died, I came across a matchbox, you know, those que-tip size stick matches for lighting grills, only the box was empty except for a hash pipe and some bud. I was floored!

I'm still against medical maryjane, however, if it were more controlled and ONLY the terminally ill were allowed access, I might amend my stance on it

The thought of my 88 yr old father smoking weed didn't sit well with me at all