America Reframed: Montana Medical Marijuana

[oVo]

America Reframed

I watched most of "The Code of the West" which tells the story of medical marijuana being legalized in the state of Montana. Legal in the state, but against federal law the DEA sweeps in and busts twenty five medical marijuana producers across the state.

Two defendants receive five year sentences a third who accepted a plea bargain gets five years probation. Also part of the story is an elderly woman who used pot as a pain suppressant. The Montana Law was revised making medical marijuana legal, but the manufacture of it illegal in the state. Now the elderly woman can't get her medicinal pot, so she uses morphine instead.

[BigBallinStalin]

Obama has the power to strongly discourage those federal raids. Why doesn't he issue another executive order or make some phone calls to the right people?

[thegreekdog]

Obama has the power to strongly discourage those federal raids. Why doesn't he issue another executive order or make some phone calls to the right people?

That's a rhetorical question, right?

[BigBallinStalin]

Obama has the power to strongly discourage those federal raids. Why doesn't he issue another executive order or make some phone calls to the right people?

That's a rhetorical question, right?

Mostly not!, I was interested in seeing what people thought.

[oVo]

The Medicinal Pot growers in Montana were businesses right out in the open, much like any nursery. But not huge operations by any means. It was believed via memos and other communications that the Feds would basically honor Montana Law and stand down.

Then the coordinated raids across the state --all on the same morning-- and the confiscation of evidence. No actual arrests were made that day and months later federal indictments were handed down. The defendants were all middle aged and facing the prospects of spending the rest of their lives in federal prison... for conducting legal business in their state.