President Obama has said cracking down on medical marijuana in states
where it’s legal, like California, wouldn’t be a priority for his law
enforcement agencies.
But a new report by the group Americans for Safe Access not only says
that Obama has been tough on weed, but that his administration’s
spending on medical cannabis enforcement has "dwarfed" that of the
George W. Bush and Bill Clinton White Houses.
The report, called "What’s the Cost,"
says Obama’s Department of Justice is responsible for $300 million of
about $500 million spent on federal marijuana enforcement since 1996.
ASA says the money was used, in part, …
… to investigate, raid, arrest, prosecute, and imprison hundreds of medical marijuana patients and their providers.
The organization slams Obama for outspending his predecessors:
… President Obama has dedicated nearly $300 million to
such enforcement efforts, despite his repeated pledges to not use
Justice Department funds in this way. In 2011 and 2012, the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) spent four percent of its budget on the
medical marijuana crackdown. Having conducted at least 270
paramilitary-style raids during the past four years, Obama’s DEA spent
approximately $8 million to carry them out. However, the amount of
taxpayer dollars spent on raids was dwarfed by the amount spent on
investigative efforts preceding raids, indictments, and lawsuits, which
has totaled more than $200 million.
The group says 3 out of 4 federal asset forfeiture lawsuits involving
medical cannabis crackdowns since 1996 have happened under Obama’s
watch.
The ASA wants congress to stop funding federal enforcement involving
otherwise legit medical marijuana suspects. It’s also calling on
lawmakers to allow the "compassionate release" of medical convicts.
Good luck with that.
