Source: Mercola
Dr. Mercola
Marijuana was a popular botanical medicine in the 19th and 20th centuries, common in U.S. pharmacies of the time.
Yet, in 1970, the herb was declared a Schedule 1 controlled substance
and labeled as a drug with a “high potential for abuse” and “no
accepted medical use.”
Three years later the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was formed to
enforce the newly created drug schedules, and the fight against
marijuana use began.
The Huffington Post
has a concise history of marijuana prohibition, and the struggle for
legalization, that is well worth reading — but the most successful
movement to date, and the one that is set to produce the first legal
marijuana market in decades, is the medical marijuana movement.
Unfortunately, the feds have recently announced a blatant reversal on
their previous pro-medical marijuana stance — a move that is
threatening to stop the industry cold.
Why are the Feds So Concerned About Medical Marijuana?
Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia have laws allowing medical marijuana.
In other words, in those states it is considered legal to consume, possess or distribute marijuana for medical use.
Up until 2009, the U.S. Justice Department essentially told federal prosecutors to lay off Americans producing and using medical marijuana in accordance with state laws.
But despite marijuana’s legal status at the state level, historically
it was common for the DEA to raid medical marijuana suppliers and even
arrest patients.
This is because federal law overrides state law, defining the possession or distribution of marijuana as a criminal offense.
According to The State of the Medical Marijuana Markets 2011,
the national market for medical marijuana is now worth $1.7 billion —
and could grow to close to $9 billion in the next five years — if not
for a stunning reversal by the Obama administration. In October 2011,
the Obama administration released a letter to clarify their earlier
position, which, as Seattle Weekly reports,
indicates, “The only people safe from arrest were the “seriously ill”
patients and their caregivers… Everyone else? Be forewarned.”
The Obama administration has long been supportive of the medical marijuana movement, even stating during the presidential campaign that, “The basic concept of using medical marijuana… [is] entirely appropriate.”
However the Feds now appear to be launching a full-fledged attack
against this legitimate industry, not only by threatening prosecution
and arrest, but also by intimidating and coercing banks, land and store
owners, as well as other business entities, that help keep the medical
marijuana industry alive.
