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OPINION

Obama Pot Policy a Victory for States' Rights

Administration takes long-overdue steps to end Bush-era excesses

By Nick McMaster| Posted Oct 19, 09 5:31 PM CDT|

(Newser) – The Obama administration’s decision to respect state laws on medical marijuana is good policy—and not just because it demonstrates compassion toward cancer and AIDS patients, writes Glenn Greenwald. Despite his critics’ charges of “socialism” and “fascism,” President Obama is showing that his administration, unlike the Bush White House, is willing to stick its neck out for states’ rights.

The policy change is part of a larger shift away from the “drug war” mentality that has dominated US policy since the Nixon era, Greenwald writes for Salon. "The War on Drugs is the pernicious precursor to the War on Terror in so many ways,," he contends. "Anything that moves even a little bit towards abandoning the orthodoxies which sustain it should be applauded."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

A box is filled with marijuana plants at the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Clinic in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Buds of marijuana are shown before being placed into packets for sale at the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Clinic in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

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The Obama administration's decision is a major advancement for the rights of states to have their laws respected by the federal government.
- Glenn Greenwald

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35 comments

VIEWING:

rajanKazhmin
Oct 19, 09 5:36 PM CDT

Obama fighting for states' rights? Conservative heads explode in 3...2...1... Reply

+25

IN RESPONSE:

Jayster999
Oct 19, 09 5:58 PM CDT

Ramjam, we're not all that stunned. Marijuana legalization/decriminalization has been on the wish list of liberals/libertarians and genuine conservatives for a long time. In short, it fits in nicely with Obama's agenda. I'm sure this is the first and only time that we can count on Barry to come down on the side of "states rights."

IN RESPONSE:

Spudsy
Oct 19, 09 6:19 PM CDT

When cons speak of states rights they do it as a code word for keeping the races separated. Reagan started it in 1980 when he gave a speech at then whites only Bob Jones University. That is as far as they want state rights to go.

IN RESPONSE:

pg13
Oct 19, 09 6:49 PM CDT

No Spudsy, Republicans also fight for states rights when they think there's a chance a state could outlaw abortions or gay rights.

+12

IN RESPONSE:

MrsK
Oct 19, 09 8:17 PM CDT

A kilo in every pot!!

IN RESPONSE:

drlarrymitchell
Oct 20, 09 1:49 AM CDT

They say that marijuana causes memory loss and leads to one being easily distracted, but I don't think it...hey, a squirrel!

IN RESPONSE:

BleeBloo
Oct 20, 09 10:29 AM CDT

Jayster, could you please take a chill pill on the Obama hate for about ten seconds and appreciate that he is, in fact, setting a CONSERVATIVE precedent in respecting states rights and that he might do so again?

| 0 minutes ago

kansas1946
Oct 19, 09 5:43 PM CDT

Obama Pot Policy a Victory for States' Rights Administration takes long-overdue steps to end Bush-era excesses ********************************* It is a victory for any thinking human, a victory for sick people, and a victory for common sense. Reply

+19

| 0 minutes ago

armywife
Oct 19, 09 6:50 PM CDT

so conservatives, i'm curious: since you're always talking about how important states' rights are to you and your party, how do you feel about this? how do you feel about the states' right to set their own policies regarding other issues, such as abortion or legalizing gay marriage? cause the conservative ideology concerning gay marriage is serious "big government" federal stuff and NOT concerned at all about "states' rights". Reply

IN RESPONSE:

armywife
Oct 19, 09 6:56 PM CDT

let me add that i support states' rights on issues like marijauna laws and even abortion, but i think that civil rights issues, such as the gays' fight for equality, cannot be left up to the states. civil rights issues are where the federal government has a clear responsibility to protect the rights of its citizens. had we left such issues as slavery and voting rights up to the states, then women and black people might still be denied the vote in some states, hell, slavery might even still be legal in south carolina.

IN RESPONSE:

Jayster999
Oct 19, 09 7:03 PM CDT

We have always believed that the federal government should coin money, run the military and regulate commerce between the states. That's about it. Pretty much everything else is taking us in the direction of statism and eventual tyranny.

IN RESPONSE:

maevealleine
Oct 19, 09 7:27 PM CDT

Conservatives should be all for it. Why? Because technically, conservatives are for the very least amount of government intrusion possible in the lives of its citizens. true conservatives, by definition, want a *conservative* amount of government at all times.

IN RESPONSE:

Mad
Oct 19, 09 9:13 PM CDT

So, when Lincoln talked of a government 'for, of and by' the people, do republicans think he was just kidding?

IN RESPONSE:

Netstorm2k10
Oct 20, 09 1:36 AM CDT

Conservatives have always been about states rights. Libertarians are the ultimate conservatives, and the ultimate liberals, so of course, we salute Obama for this act. But, the proof is in the pudding. I recall a similar act at the very onset of his administration that proved to be false. Regarding this, we shall see.

IN RESPONSE:

johntitor
Oct 20, 09 4:02 PM CDT

I don't know MAD do you think the founding fathers were kidding about making sure these United States were not a democracy? Specifically for the reason conservatives value states rights.

| 0 minutes ago

Pooshmaster47
Oct 19, 09 6:50 PM CDT

A great step in the right direction. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

divetrader
Oct 19, 09 7:07 PM CDT

Hey man, cool! It is sort of in the right direction concerning mary jane. I know it is just one step. But bigger steps need to be taken. If you want to win the drug war, make it legal and tax it nation wide. Either the drug cartels become legit, or they go out of business. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

shopgirl1623
Oct 19, 09 7:11 PM CDT

I'm in California and not a pot user, but... I'm in full agreement of the idea of legalization, domestic production and taxation. STOP sending money to foreign countries for pot. Pot could be the long over due boon this state needs. I know half a dozen people who use medical pot and dozens who use it for recreation, they're all better off for it. Make the age limit 21 and let's turn it into a domestic cash crop, this nearly belly-up state needs. Thanks Obama!! Reply

| 0 minutes ago

justme
Oct 19, 09 7:12 PM CDT

States rights seems to be popular here only based on the issue involved. I support states right on all issues not directly federal ( international politics, war, the economy etc.). The best thing happening to Gay rights is the state by state voting for the right to marry. It is slow, frustrating work but it will be accepted by the people a lot better than some judicial ruling from the feds. and is actually in line with the constitution. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

justme
Oct 19, 09 7:21 PM CDT

Armywife, I'm a conservative and an independent, not a republican. States should have control of all issues beyond the natural federal issues mentioned in the constitution (international politics, issuing money keeping an army etc.). Issues such as gay rights, abortion, etc belong to the states. So does in-state drug regulation but interstate commerce is federal. The best thing happening in gay rights is happening one state at a time with gay marriage becoming law. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

cornelison
Oct 19, 09 7:26 PM CDT

At the very least let's make it legal for patients who have prescriptions from their doctors. Ideologies against marijuana only cause more suffering for cancer & glaucoma patients. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

alkaseltzersammich
Oct 19, 09 9:17 PM CDT

I believe in the right to smoke a bowl and eat Jack in the Box. I'm sure Barack would agree with me on that one. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

JoeQ
Oct 19, 09 11:13 PM CDT

A chicken in every pot, and pot in every chicken! Reply

| 0 minutes ago

lindamae
Oct 20, 09 1:16 AM CDT

George Soros has been pushing this for more than 20 years. He is finally succeeding. Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

Ana58
Oct 20, 09 10:19 AM CDT

And right wing republicans push for more stringent penatiles so as to pay off their prison lobbyist!

| 0 minutes ago

zackmasson
Oct 20, 09 1:38 AM CDT

Yes!! finally patience can smoke in peace without the fear of swat breaking down their door and taking their kids away. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

malcolmkyle
Oct 20, 09 4:35 AM CDT

Anybody who still thinks drug prohibition is a good idea is either profiting from it or is simply mentally deficient. If you support prohibition then you’ve helped trigger the worst crime wave in this nation’s history. If you support prohibition you’ve a helped create a black market with massive incentives to hook both adults and children alike. If you support prohibition you’ve helped to make these dangerous substances available in schools and prisons. If you support prohibition you’ve helped raise gang warfare to a level not seen in this country since the days of alcohol bootlegging. If you support prohibition you’ve helped remove many important civil liberties from those citizens you falsely claim to represent. If you support prohibition you’ve helped put previously unknown and contaminated drugs on the streets. If you support prohibition you’ve helped to escalate Theft, Muggings and Burglaries. If you support prohibition you’ve helped to divert scarce law-enforcement resources away from protecting your fellow citizens from the ever escalating violence against their person or property. If you support prohibition then you have abandoned American children to the morals and ethics of gangsters and terrorists. If you support prohibition you’ve helped overcrowd the courts and prisons, thus making it increasingly impossible to curtail the people who are hurting and terrorizing others. If you support prohibition, then you also support the black market economy that funds most of the terrorist groups in the world today. Including the Taliban and alQaida. A regulated and licensed distribution network would put responsible adult supervision in between children and premature access to drug distribution outlets. Regulated and licensed distribution would reflect and respect society's values, thus preventing children obtaining easy access to theses dangerous substances. What we need is legalized regulation. what we have is a non-regulated black market to which everybody has access and where all the profits go to organized crime and terrorists.. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

DJM420
Oct 20, 09 9:49 AM CDT

ty. i was just thinking about typing something up about how we need to replace the prison-industrial complex (wholly corruptible and usually drug-related) with the 'marijuana-industrial complex' (totally taxable and regulate-able). so ty doing most the typing on that.

IN RESPONSE:

kokuaguy
Oct 20, 09 6:09 PM CDT

Good work bringing up the prison industrial complex, and great work listing all the reasons that prohibition harms our society. Don't forget to google LEAP to find out how to get involved to change things.

| 0 minutes ago

Woofer58
Oct 20, 09 4:50 AM CDT

States rights ? Heck yes. The PEOPLE voted for medical cannabis. Since we don't have much say as to what the Feds think is good or not good, since that is all insider politics, we pretty much have to get our say somehow... by voting... that funny thing the Feds don't like. It's like the "mandate of the people" stops at the state level. Eventually the Feds will have to come to see the reality that its' citizens do want a say in government. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Mia
Oct 20, 09 7:01 AM CDT

yummmm...pot...good for the....everything Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Ana58
Oct 20, 09 10:16 AM CDT

In the immortal words of Tommy Chong....I just want to get high man and not go to jail for it! So true. The private prison systems had lobbyist push for harder drug laws as to fill those jails with "dollars" This is what you get when prisons become a business...you must drum up business to make money and they changed laws to create more prisoners. Over 70% of all prison inmates are in there on drug related charges. Its time to revamp how American justice system views drug use by average Americans. I still cant understand how they allow alcohol and ciggies and call that "choice" but then say drugs are bad and not allow "choice"...really. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

BillHarris
Oct 20, 09 11:14 AM CDT

Don't reform prohibition, just repeal it. Nothing, short of liberty to garden and share Nature's bounty, will cure the plague on society that is named prohibition. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

johntitor
Oct 20, 09 4:06 PM CDT

Have a look at Portugal.. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

GuestGuest
Oct 28, 09 5:38 PM CDT

In society today adults have to make millions of important decisions, a lot of which can have a drastic effect on their lives, even death. We are responsible for our choices, and we suffer and prosper from our choices, its what makes each individual who they ultimately become. This is called freedom of choice, ownership of ones self. We are legally allowed to make these choices everyday, including many that can be instantly fatal such as riding recreational dirt bikes for the thrill of it, even though it could cost us our lives, its our choice to make. By trying to force people into not consuming a natural plant we are effectively causing more harm than if we were to let each adult make their own choices and except the consequences for those choices. The harm prohibition has brought to not just our own country, but the vast majority of the world is on a remarkably large scale, and threatens our national security. By choosing to prohibit this substance, we have chosen to ignore it and to let it be controlled by the black market. This in turn has enriched criminal enterprises to the point they have the financial power to compete with their own governments on a military bases as seen in Mexico. This is a national security threat. Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol, and the majority of citizens know this, this in turn creates disrespect for law enforcement thereby furthering the deterioration of our community as a whole. It is inhumane to lock a person in a cage and take away their belongings they worked for when they did nothing to harm any other individual or society as a whole. Current marijuana laws are a civil rights nightmare waiting to happen, and only makes marijuana readily available to anyone of any age. The laws are obviously bad, expensive and unyielding in accomplishments. We spend billions each year to try and stop marijuana consumption, and yet the DEA admits they would be surprised if they are even getting 1% of the drugs being transported. That’s a bad investment, and the majorities do not agree with it, and there is no justification for making marijuana illegal in the first place. Prohibition is bad for our kids as they have complete access to it as long as its being controlled by the black market, what we need is control and regulation to minimize the exposure of drugs to young children. As long as it is illegal or decriminalized there will be a black market selling it at a marked up value because of risk, and all the harm will continue. By legalizing marijuana we are effectively controlling its distribution, and can much better regulate its use by age limits. Simply put, it’s a real no brainer and it will eventually happen, so if it’s not working now, and has the potential to be better why would we stay put? Let’s not continue to turn regular tax paying citizens into tax burdens for the rest of us, there comes a time when you have to realize a bad investment is a bad investment. drugs may not bee good for... Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 35 comments »

War on Drugs • drugs • medical marijuana • marijuana • decriminalization • states' rights • Obama administration

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Obama Pot Policy a Victory for States' Rights