NEW POT RAIDS CALL FOR NEW NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

For all you stoners out there, we all took a hit a couple of weeks
ago (and I'm not talking about the kind that makes you all happy and
giddy). The hit I'm talking about is when the feds raided a Long
Beach medical marijuana dispensary.

Long Beach Compassionate Caregivers (as the joint was officially
called), located on 342 E. Fourth St., has now been "closed
indefinitely" after the feds served a search warrant "on the basis of
probable cause."

"We believe they are in violation of federal law," said a spokesman
for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

There are currently 12 states that acknowledge the medicinal value of
marijuana by allowing shops like Compassionate Caregivers to operate.
However, federal law still refuses to recognize it because of this
so-called "War on Drugs" that's been going on for virtually forever
now. It's all politics. They disregard and overlook the
health-related benefits for the seriously ill and dying.

Medical cannabis patients cannot be prosecuted in the state of
California, but they can be prosecuted under federal law because
federal laws supersede state laws.

Recently, in Garden Grove, the court ordered police to return
medically prescribed pot confiscated during a traffic stop, after
police refused to do so because of federal law. The judge ruled that
it's not the responsibility of local police to enforce federal drug
laws.

You would think that the state laws would be made in accordance with
federal law. Even so, it's sad that we, the people who voted for the
Compassionate Use Act in 1996, can't even get the backing of the men
in black, who claim they are working for us and not against us.

If you ask me, the federal government is exercising discrimination
against the 12 states that recognize medical marijuana in their laws.
That was all the "probable cause" they needed. The feds have nothing
better to do, so to cause a little raucous, they attack California, a
state about as liberal as they come.

How fitting for this to have occurred. It might be a political
message to presidential candidate Barack Obama who admitted to
inhaling when he was a kid.

"I inhaled frequently. That was the point," said Obama during a
televised interview.

That is the most candid thing I've ever heard out of a politician's
mouth, especially one running for president. Remember when Bill
Clinton said, "I did not inhale?" Who was he kidding? We saw right
through you, Bill. So you smoked a little ganja back in the day, big
deal.

Speaking of Bill, Hillary Clinton better watch out because Obama
might be winning over the votes of stoner America with the issue of
legalizing medical marijuana. The War on Drugs would be another twist
to the election besides this whole "War against Terrorism."

As a woman, I was all for Clinton becoming the first woman president.
But, in light of the fact that Obama may possibly be a supporter of
medical marijuana, I am given hope that, one day, marijuana will
become a controlled substance just like alcohol and tobacco.

"I would not have the Justice Department prosecute anybody with
medical marijuana. It's not a good use of our resources," said Obama
just a few months ago. He seriously said that. Look it up on YouTube.
It'll make any pothead start chanting his name in song. It's no
wonder he seems to appeal to the younger voters.

With Obama in the White House, maybe there is a chance at legalizing
marijuana. He's been there, done that. He knows how it goes. People
are going to smoke pot regardless of what laws are in place, the same
way minors are still consuming alcohol despite the age limit set
forth by our laws.

The government should just stop fighting it and capitalize on the
black market sales of marijuana by legalizing and regulating it. They
can tax the hell out of it and pump that money back into our economy.
Plus, instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on federal raids like the
one in Long Beach, they would be saving themselves a lot of money.

Like Obama said, it's just not a good use of our resources.

Up with hope! Legalize dope!

Niki Payne is a senior journalism major and a contributing writer for
the Daily Forty-Niner.