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kpete

(71,984 posts) Sun Jun 8, 2014, 11:04 AM Jun 2014

DEA Threatens MA Med Marijuana Docs: Give up your DEA license or give up association with dispensary

DEA Threatens MA Medical Marijuana Doctors

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Fri Jun 06, 2014 at 08:15:00 AM EST

Massachusetts enacted a medical marijuana law in 2012. Recently, shortly after the first licenses were approved, the DEA began visiting MA physicians associated with medical marijuana dispensaries and giving them a choice: Give up your DEA license to prescribe most medications, or give up your association with dispensaries.

The stark choice is necessary, the doctors said they were told, because of friction between federal law, which bans any use of marijuana, and state law, which voters changed in 2012 to allow medical use of the drug.

The DEA’s action has left some doctors, whose livelihoods depend on being able to offer patients pain medications and other drugs, with little option but to resign from the marijuana companies,where some held prominent positions.

The DEA gets progressively more out of step with the Department of Justice, Congress and state legislatures every day. Its budget is bloated and it desperately needs new leadership. DEA Director Michelle Leonhart, who presumably approves tactics such as these, should be asked to resign and a more enlightened director should be appointed to take her place. You can sign a Change.Org petition to remove her here.

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2014/6/6/31559/02583/crimepolicy/DEA-Threatens-MA-Medical-Marijuana-Doctors

3 replies

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DEA Threatens MA Med Marijuana Docs: Give up your DEA license or give up association with dispensary (Original Post) kpete Jun 2014 OP

Leonhart serves at the pleasure of the POTUS rusty fender Jun 2014 #1

^^^^^^^^^ THAT! n/t truedelphi Jun 2014 #3

This is sad but true. And it is the case EVERYWHERE. truedelphi Jun 2014 #2

rusty fender

(3,428 posts)

1. Leonhart serves at the pleasure of the POTUS

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 11:14 AM

Jun 2014

Whenever the POTUS decides that he disagrees with the policy of the current DEA, then he will replace Leonhart.

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)

3. ^^^^^^^^^ THAT! n/t

Reply to rusty fender (Reply #1)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:49 PM

Jun 2014

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)

2. This is sad but true. And it is the case EVERYWHERE.

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:48 PM

Jun 2014

Why is it that Calif, that early on got dispensaries up and running, one for every 45,000 people in many places, now has dispensaries up and running for only every 75,000 people?!?

And in some places, every 250,000 people!

And it is totally easy for Eric Holder to come out and make statements about how respectful he is, of citizens' rights to do as their state-approved marijuana laws allow, in one breath, and then say that Congress needs to take action.

Eric Holder is quite aware that among Congress Critters, only 3 to 6% actually support making marijuana legal and available. (Big Banking contributes to the Congress critters campaign coffers, and Big Banking is very tied into drug cartel monies, as is Big Prison monies. And don't forget how Big Pharma feels!)

And if he really wanted to prove how marijuana -friendly he is, Holder could simply re-schedule it.

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one though.

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