(긴급)미국 마리화나 합법화
미국 마리화나 합법화
The federal government will not prosecute people who use pot for medical reasons and states where it’s legal. New approach. The justice department changes the rules for prosecuting medical marihuana cases. A new leaf the administration does and about-face on medical marihuana. What are the rules now?
The Obama administration today announced a major policy change on marihuana. The justice department now says it will no longer enforce federal drug laws against people who use marihuana for medical reasons as long as they follow state laws. As our justice correspondent Pete Williams reports, it’s one of the biggest changes yet from the policies of the Bush administration.
It’s a victory for people like Angel Richie of northern California who uses marihuana with a doctor’s approval to relieve pain from a brain tumor. Following through on a campaign promise, the Obama administration today instructed federal prosecutors not to go after users like her or the people who provide them with the marihuana they use.
Though marihuana remains illegal under federal law, a justice department memo says arresting such individuals “is unlikely to be an efficient use of limited federal resources.” It applies in the 13 states with medical marihuana laws where it’s legal under state law to use it with a doctor’s approval. 6 other states are considering adopting similar laws of their own.
But justice department officials say the new policy should not discourage prosecution of the dealers of marihuana who violates state law by selling it for example to minors or to people with no legitimate medical need for it. The number of clinic, co-ops, and marihuana stores in California has exploded.
Los Angeles has nearly 1000, more of them than Starbucks outlets. While many are legitimate, police say hundreds are not.
A former Bush administration counter-drug official says this is the wrong time to show federal tolerance. “I think this sends a very mixed message that marihuana situation in California right now is already confused and chaotic. And I think this could just make it worse.” But for people like Angel Richie who are following the law, the new policy means no longer fearing every knock at the door. Pete Williams, NBC News, Washington.