Photo Credit: Michael Sotnikov

Marijuana plant

California became the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use in 1996, when it passed the Compassionate Use Act. However, federal law of the time stated that any cultivation, transport, or sale of Cannabis was strictly prohibited.

Since that time, federal agents of the Drug Enforcement Agency have conducted raids on legal pot dispensaries throughout California, in accordance with the Bush administration’s policy of zero tolerance. The fact that these laws gave such mixed messages led to ridiculous scenarios. For instance, somebody could enter a Cannabis club, show his prescription to the officer standing at the door and walk out with an ounce of weed, but if a federal agent were to see them, they could be arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

However, on Mar. 18, the conflict of laws was finally allayed when Attorney General Eric H. Holder released a directive stating that DEA agents no longer had the authority to raid a Medical weed dispensary as long as it is in accordance with state law. This is a huge step toward use of marijuana as a legitimate medical treatment.

The recent drug violence in Mexico also influenced Holder’s decision to eliminate raids on medical cannabis dispensaries. The Mexican drug cartels use vast profits from the American pot market to finance the acts of violence they commit in Central America.

Overall, I believe this new development will prove beneficial for our nation as a whole. It takes pressure off of those who run legitimate medical marijuana dispensaries and makes the plant more accessible to people, such as cancer patients, who need it for pain relief or diet stimulation. The new directive also allows agencies such as the Office of National Drug Control and the DEA to focus on busting producers and distributors of harmful drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Finally, it will provide people who use cannabis for pain relief or as a sleep or appetite aide with an alternative to buying pot off the street, and thereby remove a segment of the Mexican drugs cartels’ market. If this new policy can improve just one life, it is well worth it.