Obama’s Dope Policy

The Obama administration will today issue new policy guidelines “seeking not to arrest marijuana users and suppliers” as long as they conform to state laws. The new approach is specifically aimed at preventing those who use marijuana – known colloquially by a number of names including dope, skunk, weed and pot- for medical purposes. This is a major departure from the Bush administration which insisted on imposing federal anti-pot laws regardless of the some fourteen US states which have laws allowing marijuana for medical use. A three page memo is expected to be issued to federal prosecutors in the fourteen states today, as well as to officials in the FBI and drug enforcement administration.