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[Sea Mac]

Tell President Obama: Withdraw Michele Leonhart's nomination for DEA administrator.

Dear Sea Mac,

The DEA’s vendetta against medical marijuana patients and providers keeps getting more and more infuriating.

Mendocino County, California passed a new medical marijuana ordinance this year that allows local growers to apply for a cultivation permit with the sheriff.  But earlier this month, the DEA swooped in and raided the home of the program’s first applicant.  Agents took money and property but made no arrests.

What a slap in the face to the local government!  The DEA has gone too far, and President Obama needs to replace Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart.

The president has directed federal officials to stop wasting time and money on medical marijuana prosecutions.  Yet even though Leonhart is blatantly flouting his directive, he’s nominated her to become the permanent head of the DEA.

Together with our allies in the movement to end marijuana prohibition, we’re calling on President Obama to withdraw her nomination.  Our whole movement is united and working together to demand a DEA administrator who respects the right of patients to use their legal, doctor-recommended medicine.  Will you join us?

The raid in Mendocino County is part of a disturbing trend.  DEA agents have raided four other medical marijuana providers in the past few weeks.  The timing is hardly coincidental — California voters could pass a ballot initiative in November that would make marijuana legal throughout the state, and I suspect the DEA is conducting the raids to intimidate growers and activists.

President Obama has called federal medical marijuana raids a waste of resources.  Yet his nominee continues to relentlessly harass patients and providers.  If she refuses to respect the administration’s stated principles, the president needs to find a new nominee who will.

http://dpa.convio.net/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=573

President Obama:

I am disappointed that you have nominated Michele Leonhart to become the DEA's permanent administrator.  As acting administrator, she has shown again and again that political posturing is her number one priority and has even acted in defiance of your administration's policy on medical marijuana.

I was pleased last fall when you directed federal officials to stop wasting time and money on medical marijuana prosecutions.  Since you announced this new policy, however, federal medical marijuana raids have continued under Michele Leonhart's leadership.  In just the past few weeks, five medical marijuana facilities have been subjected to DEA raids.  All of these raids took place in states where medical marijuana is legal.

You were right to determine that medical marijuana prosecutions are a waste of federal resources.  However, I am pessimistic that the change in policy you have set will take effect while Michele Leonhart is at the helm of the DEA.  I urge you to withdraw her nomination and select a new nominee who will honor your administration's medical marijuana policy.