This is a photo of me at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. I had just heard one of the most politically motivating speeches of my life from a candidate for president. I was moved to tears, joyous, and inspired. This candidate not only filled me with hope about the future of our nation, but said he would not interfere with access to legal medical cannabis.
As Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access (ASA), I was ecstatic to be shedding the dark days of the Bush Administration's war on medical cannabis patients. As a patient myself, I felt counted and part of the Change that would be coming to Washington, and I was proud to support and volunteer for Barack Obama's victorious campaign.
For his 2008 campaign, I donated money, I went to rallies to show support, I knocked on doors in VA, and on election night I joined thousands in D.C. who descended on the White House to celebrate and sing "Na, Na, Na, Na, Good bye" to President Bush. I went to sleep that night excited about a new direction for this country that would include me as a recognized medical cannabis patient.
From the beginning, the new administration made supportive statements about medical cannabis, including that the President was "not going to be using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws." On October 19, 2009, we got the policy document we had been waiting for. Then-Deputy Attorney General David Ogden issued a memorandum, now know as the "Ogden Memo," instructing U.S. attorneys to limit marijuana enforcement to those operating out of compliance with state law.
With this legal guidance, the medical cannabis movement went to work to pass new state laws protecting patients and those who provided their medication. Advocates, community members and officials spent thousands of hours drafting legislation and regulations in at least eleven states. But when legislators and other state and local officials came close to passing or implementing these laws, they received letters from U.S. attorneys, threatening federal arrest and prosecution.
Dismayed by this apparent reversal in the Obama Administration's policy, patients demanded the president rein in the US Attorneys. Instead we got the "Cole Memo," issued by Deputy Attorney General James Cole, laying out a new interpretation of the Obama Administration's policy. The memo gave the Justice Department free rein in medical cannabis states, to undermine state laws and coerce local lawmakers. The Cole Memo launched an unprecedented attack on the medical cannabis community unprecedented in its scope.
In fewer then fours years of President Obama, we have seen more raids on dispensaries than during the Bush Administration's entire eight-year tenure. The Obama Administration has taken property from landlords, threatened local officials, forced the release of patient records, used the Internal Revenue Service to bankrupt legitimate dispensaries, told banks to purge medical cannabis clients, evicted patients from low-income housing and denied a petition to recognize the well-established medical value of cannabis.
Now as President Obama approaches the vote on his reelection, other medical cannabis patients and I are finding it impossible to renew our support. How can I vote for someone who has broken his promise? How can I vote for someone who can't see very real public health needs? How can I vote for someone who wages war on my fellow patients and me?
There are more than one million legal medical cannabis patients across the country and millions more waiting to become legal. We have friends and family in every state, and there are many of us in states that are key to the Obama reelection campaign: Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.
I care a lot about this country and my fellow Americans, and I have always volunteered for candidates during election years. Now, instead of going to rallies or buying tickets to fundraisers, I will be protesting at campaign stops like the one today in downtown Oakland. Instead of working to elect a president, I'll be joining thousands of medical cannabis advocates at Camp Wakeupobama, a virtual summer camp during which we will press our case to the President.
President Obama, you can move medical cannabis policy forward and win this election -- 74% of voters disagree with your attacks on state compassionate use laws.
Medical cannabis patients will be on the campaign trail, however you can still determine what our signs will say.
Follow Steph Sherer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/stephsherer
Alfred J. Zacher: Why Most Second Term Presidents Fail -- and What Obama Can Do to Beat the Odds
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
For half of the population marijuana users are not even human.
What about big pharma and the garbage it cranks out? How many have died from 'prescription medication'?
How many deaths from marijuana use?
I have smoked marijuana for over 40 years.
The most dangerous thing I have found was getting my butt locked up for 5 years for a pot offense.
I wrote about the great times I had before: "They got me."
True (fictitious???) tales of the marijuana culture. A great time was had by all.
No one was injured...no one was killed...private property was untouched.
There were no victims.
I named the book: Shoulda Robbed a Bank
I hope you check it out.
Some people just need to read Rick Simpsons story, then they might change their narrow mindedness, but I doubt it.
Pretty incredible stuff.
I was in Federal Prison with Brother Love and several of his followers from the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church in the 1980's. We had all been convicted of marijuana offenses...separate cases.
The head of Brother Love's defense team was former US Attorney General, Ramsey Clark. Their defense was based on religious freedom.
While in prison together, I read hundreds of pages of the transcript from his trial. Many are available on the web today.
The panel of 'expert witnesses,' presented by his defense team, included the foremost authorities in medicine of that era. The overwhelming amount of evidence documenting the medicinal benefits of marijuana was staggering.
And, that was in the early 1980's. Now, fully 30 years later, the same lame arguments are still being paraded.
How pathetic.
Many thanks for the Rick Simpson story. I had never heard of the lad. Great information.
Can progressives really line up behind a President who would put medical marijuana caregivers behind bars for 20 years?
As for those who argue "Don't be a one issue voter", remember, candidate Obama made certain promises - detailed above by Ms Scherer - promises that arguably brought a large number of one-issue, first-time voters to the polling booth to cast their vote for Obama in 2008. Could these voters have made the difference between a President Obama, and a President McCain? Will these 2012 voters play a decisive role in determining whether the next President is President Obama, or President Romney?
Obama continues the wars that profit no one but wealthy investors, the persecution of marijuana consumers, loading his cabinet with one-percenters, bailing out the banks instead of the people, the HUGE attacks on our freedom from Patriot Act and similar horrendous underminings of our liberty and privacy.
The two mainstream parties are hauling us rapidly toward a police state. They work for the one percent, and cannot be trusted in the least degree.
I have followed Gary Johnson's career for many years. He is extremely honest, would have a transparent administration, and would work for the 99 percent. He already has a great track record as governor of New Mexico.
On the contrary, I think he could pick up a lot of support if he came out for legalization.
In the meantime, we're going to keep up with marijuana and the election here: http://weedist.com
I was lucky enough once to speak to her for a long interview years ago. I have nothing but respect for her and the work she does. I just found this video and I wanted to share it with you all,
Steph Sherer 2012 presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZiJmDHmrb0
She is just an amazing woman.
Cannabis hemp has positive history in America. Politics aside, the only way our country is going to recover, is for us to work together. Letting cannabis consumers out of the closet, enabling them to participate, would be a good place to start.
Listen to the people! Private prisons is not the job creation we need. Manufactured criminals, based on spin and lies? Is that the America we want to be? Not me!
As soon as cannabis laws are changed, we can grow jobs utilizing hemp. Hemp is a renewable resource, which can make so many environmentally friendly products, it boggles the mind. Jobs could be created in new industries for decades to come.