cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Applicants Facing D.C. Deadline
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Medical Marijuana Applicants Facing D.C. Deadline
Posted by CN Staff on October 10, 2011 at 18:51:02 PT
By Tom Howell Jr., The Washington Times
Source: Washington Times
Washington, D.C. -- Applicants hoping to dispense medical marijuana in the District have until Halloween to submit their plans to city officials, pushing the long-awaited program forward even as federal prosecutors put a scare into the cannabis industry’s prospects in California and other states.The D.C. Department of Health began to accept paperwork Oct. 3 from pre-approved groups that hope to be among the five picked to open a medical-marijuana dispensary.
Barring an extension, the District should wrap up its two-part application process by the end of the month. The first part was to select 10 groups to grow marijuana at secure cultivation centers and ran from Aug. 15 to Sept. 30.D.C. residents have waited more than a dozen years for medical marijuana, since approving the plan in a 1998 referendum. The plan was stalled when a congressional rider known as the Barr Amendment banned the city from funding legalization efforts. However, the ban was lifted in 2009, which cleared the way for the program’s implementation.Meanwhile, proponents of medical marijuana across the country are seeing an increasingly tenuous relationship vis-a-vis the federal government.On Friday, all four of the U.S. attorneys offices in California said they will be cracking down on marijuana dispensaries that are operating beyond the scope of state law.The move comes three months after the Justice Department issued a memo that stated the federal government still considers marijuana a restricted substance and may not look the other way regarding locally approved medical-marijuana programs, a clarification of its more lenient-sounding position in 2009.Last spring, U.S. attorneys in states such as Arizona and Washington issued letters of warning to state officials, placing their medical marijuana programs in limbo or prompting the shutdown of some dispensaries.“I would say we shouldn’t just be looking at California, we should be looking at what the federal government’s been doing over the last six months,” Kris Hermes, spokesman for Americans for Safe Access, said Monday. “The chilling effect has already occurred, and we’re hopeful that it goes no further.”Medical-marijuana advocacy groups say they are disappointed with Barack Obama because he did not show support for the industry on the 2008 campaign trail.“Frankly, we’re completely puzzled,” Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, said Monday. “Nobody knows why the administration would take quite a reversal.”But the situation in California and other states does not necessarily spell trouble for programs around the country, said Morgan Fox, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project.Jurisdictions with a clear regulatory system, which includes the District, have not been exposed to federal interference so far, he said.The D.C. government has tread warily and is aware of the federal government’s position. In its application materials, the city inserted a section that requires applicants to state in writing that they assume the risk of federal prosecution for growing or distributing the drug and that they cannot hold the city liable for arrests.As a result, the D.C. Patients’ Cooperative has decided to take a “wait-and-see” approach instead of applying to the program, according to board member Nikolas Schiller.“It basically says we have to admit we’re violating federal law,” Mr. Schiller said. “It’s a little bit frustrating, to say the least.”A city official said Friday that most of the cultivation applications came in shortly before the Sept. 30 deadline and that they are still being processed, so it is unclear whether the prosecution clause had a significant effect on the number of applicants.“There’s no indication the feds are going to charge in and arrest people because they signed this form,” Mr. Hermes said. “One does not equal the other, but this certainly should not become an impediment to becoming licensed and helping patients.”Source: Washington Times (DC)Author: Tom Howell Jr., The Washington TimesPublished: Monday, October 10, 2011 Copyright: 2011 The Washington Times, LLC Website: http://www.washtimes.com/Contact: letters washingtontimes.comURL: http://drugsense.org/url/TogXWAPvCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on October 13, 2011 at 16:27:03 PT
museman
That is very sad. I honestly don't know how people with children will be able to afford to raise them. I know we spend a good deal of money for groceries and it's just 2 adults that don't eat much. Growing children consume way more food then adults. 
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Comment #4 posted by Hope on October 13, 2011 at 14:15:27 PT
French fries and soy milk?
This can't be right. This "Rich" country? We send all sorts of help of one kind or another overseas to people in other parts of the world. We do not give our own better than french fries and soy milk when they are hungry?Oh my Lord.I would gladly pay the taxes that would pay for universal health care and food for those who cannot afford to buy enough. It would make life better for everyone and for all of us as a whole. As a society and community.Some people would take advantage and cheat. I have no doubt that that's true. There are people of low and poor character. But by the force of it all, we will create an atmosphere where good things and brilliance and real progress as the human race will thrive. 
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Comment #3 posted by museman on October 13, 2011 at 11:01:03 PT
OT: an ugly state of affairs
I just had to let people know this.A few days ago, a young couple I know with two young children, and one on the way went to a food bank in Eugene -(one of Oregon's 'wealthiest' cities) trying to help them get through the month.The man is working, but even with the terribly small food stamp supplement, after rent, power, phone, and gasoline, there isn't enough left over for food. SO they went to the food bank.They were given 'french fry soup.' If anyone wonders what that is, well, it's stale french fries, mixed in a paper box, with soy milk. Sounds yummie doesn't it?Thats all. No canned food, no staples, just french fry soup.I can just hear the rich people, when asked for donations to help feed people;"Let them eat french fry soup!"These people don't know how lucky they are that guillotines aren't around anymore.Just had to let people know...LEGALIZE FREEDOM
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Comment #2 posted by Oleg the tumor on October 12, 2011 at 17:47:28 PT:
Interesting Stat from PolitifactOhio.com
According to them it's true. 10,000 baby boomers will retire everyday for something like the next 19 years. Let's see how much Social Security money flies out of this country and into the wrong hands, before someone figures out how to "fix" Social Security.Legalize freedom and put a whole bunch of people to work! 
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Comment #1 posted by runruff on October 11, 2011 at 07:25:50 PT
Politics is politics...
...and ne'er the twain shall meet!Aye, no the now, anyhow!
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