11 Enemies of Marijuana Legalization

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http://www.alternet.org/11-enemies-marijuana-legalization



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1. DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart

A holdover from the Bush administration, Leonhart was formally appointed to head the Drug Enforcement Administration by Barack Obama in 2010. The antiprohibitionist movement strongly opposed her, citing the DEA’s raids on medical-marijuana growers in California—including one on a 69-year-old woman who had been the first grower to register with the Mendocino County Sheriff.


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2. California’s U.S. Attorneys: Melinda Haag, Andre Birotte, Laura E. Duffy, and Benjamin B. Wagner

The state’s four federal prosecutors have led the campaign against medical marijuana. In October 2011, they began sending letters to dispensaries and their landlords, threatening to seize their buildings if the drug dealing on the premises didn’t cease.


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3. California Narcotic Officers Association and its chief lobbyist, John Lovell, who also represents the California Police Chiefs Association

One leading California activist calls them “the most powerful obstacles to marijuana-law reform.” In 2010, when he campaigned against the Proposition 19 legalization initiative, John Lovell collected almost $400,000 from police groups.

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4. Coalition For a Drug-Free California, headed by Paul Chabot

Based in Los Angeles’ Inland Empire suburbs, this is not the most powerful prohibitionist group, but it’s one of the looniest. Last April 20, Chabot told Current TV’s Cenk Uygur that alcohol “Prohibition actually worked. Drug usage decreased significantly.” He calls legalizing pot part of the “all-out far-left agenda.”

[Upton]

1. Unfortunately...you can add..

Maria Cantwell and Jay Inslee, who is the Democratic gubernatorial candidate here in Washington state, both of whom oppose I-502.

[pipoman]

2. No Eric Holder? Really?

[Scuba]

3. Missing: the alcohol and private prison industries that fund the fight against legalization.