Sam Farr, Maurice Hinchey, Dana Rohrabacher Target Federal Funding For Medical Marijuana Busts

WASHINGTON -- Reps. Sam Farr (D-Calif.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) have joined forces in an effort to cut off funding for the federal government's ramped-up enforcement actions around medical marijuana.

The lawmakers' bipartisan legislation, which would prohibit the use of federal funds to interfere with state pot laws, is expected to hit the House floor as part of a broader debate over a bill, H.R. 5326, that funds the Department of Justice.

"Patients suffering from painful and serious illnesses are following the recommendations of their doctors by using medical cannabis to minimize their pain and support their recovery," Rep. Farr told HuffPost in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "It is time for the federal government to stop targeting the legal vendors that are providing safe access to this treatment, and instead focus limited resources on those who sell illicit drugs. The amendment I will offer with my colleagues will work to assure funds under the Department of Justice do not target the safe access to treatment patients need.”

The Justice Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

The bill comes as the administration has unleashed an interagency crackdown on the cannabis industry, with more than 100 raids, primarily on California pot dispensaries, many of them operating in full compliance with state laws. Since October 2009, the Justice Department has conducted more than 170 aggressive SWAT-style raids in nine medical marijuana states, resulting in at least 61 federal indictments, according to data compiled by Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group. Federal authorities have also seized property from landlords who rent space to growers, threatening them with prosecution, and authorities have even considered taking action against newspapers selling ad space to dispensaries.

The bipartisan legislation could come up for debate as soon as Tuesday night. The full text of the amendment reads:

None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.

Comments

[FlyingTooLow]

11:03 AM on 09/11/2012

Why is 'big pharma' not being targeted?
In 2009, 26,000 deaths from prescription medicines.

Deaths caused by marijuana...not a single one in recorded history.

Several years ago, I had surgery on my right shoulder. Pain medication was prescribed..."take one capsule every 4 hours."

I took one capsule.
I was down for over 20 hours. When I came to, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. The next time I felt discomfort, I smoked a small amount of marijuana ...pain gone, no after effects.

I threw the pills out.

Then I wrote:

Shoulda Robbed a Bank

My contribution to helping point out just how ludicrous our pot laws truly are.

[Stellah420]

01:09 AM on 05/11/2012

Actually. there was an article about a year ago. clearly stating that weed has a medicinal affect on tumors in the brain and the lungs. the THC absorbs the tumors and clears the lungs and brain. Why would you make something Illegal.. that is most beneficial? This makes NO sense to me!!!!! This country is going Bonkers!!

[Stellah420]

01:03 AM on 05/11/2012

Wonderful~! Just what we need. An old man with yellow teeth. telling someone they cannot have their medication? These people are Krazy!!!

[kevin hunt2012]

12:42 PM on 05/11/2012

I assume you are referring to the guy in the video that says that "marijuana is addictive". He's probably addicted to cigarettes which kill 430,000 Americans per year.

[fumes]

02:23 PM on 05/10/2012

BRAVO:

Reps. Sam Farr (D-Calif.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.)
----------------------
the NIH has a freekin' patent on it

the NCI has admitted it SHRINKS TUMORS

the FDA can't pick up the phone and call these two?

and the DEA and ''our'' President are outright LYING!!!
---------------
- Fed Government Owns Marijuana Patent -
patentstorm.us — Despite FDA claims that Marijuana has no medical use (DEA schedule 1) the U.S. federal government has received a patent for pot: "US Patent 6630507 - Cannabinoids as anti-oxidants and neuro-protectants" Based on research by NIH and assigned to the Dept. of Health & Human Srv Apr 17, 2009 http://digg.com/news/story/Patented_Cannabis_Fed_Government_owns_Marijuana_Patent

[Mike Dar]

09:32 PM on 05/09/2012

The DOJ(Department of Justice) has been a personal enforcement arm for the Potus since before Clinton(Not MRS Clinton-exemployee DoJ). The DOJ is nothiing more than a self gratifing assembly of "Crats". They long ago gave up a true allegence to the constitution and follow the same path the other two arms of Govt (Pres. and Congess/Senate) in wanting what is best for them first. This 'best' is derived from private enterprise... just like the other two sections of Govt..
DOJ enfoces what they are told must enforced.. and leaves things alone they are told to not deal with.
Quality of leadership has fallen to being nothing more than a decision/political appointment for association with the rest of the 'wrecking crews" that run D.C.. Long gone are serious attempts to root out fraud or security threats to the national well being. All they do is as little as possible as long as it does't interfere with the ones whom put them in office.
Quite frankly, the CIA and FBI cannot get away with what the DOJ does, and fails to do.
Write this in stone...what the DOJ is doing to MMJ is under orders, by direction.. there is no way the DOJ would step over ANY..line without explicit affrmation and permission from the Oval office.

The Oval office is taking orders from private enterprise.

[artbylas]

08:25 PM on 05/09/2012

Found this on the house.gov web site
House Floor Activities log
4:21:26 P.M. H.R. 5326 An amendment, offered by Mr. Schweikert, to prohibit the use of funds to be used by the Department of Justice to bring any action against any State for implementation of a State law requiring voter identification.

4:32:40 P.M. H.R. 5326 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Schweikert amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Fattah demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

[simplesins]

04:05 PM on 05/09/2012

It's really very sad that one sector or another of the government seems out to snatch any of the things that bring joy or make life easier for those making under $100K a year. If they don't price it out of the reach of the common man, they criminalize it so that it is suddenly black market prices. The only people looking out for their constituents in DC are those representing the wealthy. I hope I live long enough to see the country reclaimed by the people who build it, not bought it.

[paparandy]

03:14 PM on 05/09/2012

"Free the Weed!" Cut off funding to the DEA and end this idiocy. Gary Johnson 2012!

[Gregory Hinton]

02:06 PM on 05/09/2012

minority money now ruling the US

[Bud Fallbrook]

12:18 PM on 05/09/2012

There isn't enough space on this entire website to list all of the better uses that money could be put to. The foolishness and insanity has to stop SOME time.

[DaMOrt]

10:11 AM on 05/09/2012

Even if Obama makes a last minute change to his position on Cannabis. I am still voting for Gary Johnson.

[Marlyn]

09:58 AM on 05/09/2012

AWESOME. Thanks Sam.

[Corey Miller]

08:53 AM on 05/09/2012

its sad to see healthy people who want sick people to suffer. Anyone against cannabis is making money on the prohibition.

[Voltairus]

08:38 AM on 05/09/2012

Follow the money and the power.......and you get ATTORNEYS. Legalizing marijuana has been brutal to the bottom line.
One of Obama's biggest powerful supporters is the Bar Association. If you haven't noticed his supporters such as Eric Holder, Fanny & Freddy heads, the big bank heads and John Corzine all get a stay out of jail free card.
When will we wake up and realize we have a president who was never qualified to be anything other than a third world dictator; he talks a good line, but, his actions and motivations are corrupt.

[tednarcotic]

07:23 AM on 05/09/2012

Dear President Obama, I will vote for you, even though you are a hypocritical, lying, jerk.

[average dude]

02:36 PM on 05/09/2012

Dear Mr. Obama. I wont. I smoke cannabis, and I vote, and not for you.

[tednarcotic]

03:28 PM on 05/09/2012

I do understand.

[Mike Dar]

09:45 PM on 05/09/2012

"hypocritical, lying, jerk"- How do you know a Politician is lying to you????, his mouth is moving.

[tednarcotic]

02:01 PM on 05/10/2012

So true.