Forget about "Rocky Mountain High." In Colorado, the medical marijuana industry is a tightly regulated amalgam of businesses policed by gun-toting agents of the state's Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division.

While medical marijuana providers in California are wary of stepped-up federal law enforcement, comparable businesses in Colorado are confident that despite growing pains, their industry - enshrined in the state's Constitution - will continue to thrive.

"We are on an even keel and moving forward," said Jason Lauve, board member of the Association of Cannabis Trades for Colorado and publisher of Cannabis Health News magazine.

Colorado and California are among the 16 states that, along with the District of Columbia, have laws permitting marijuana use for medicinal purposes. But while each of the laws conflicts with federal law, Colorado and California represent case studies in the varying degrees of U.S. law enforcement response.

John Walsh, the U.S. attorney in Colorado, sent letters last month to 23 of the state's estimated 600 marijuana dispensaries and their landlords, ordering the businesses to close or relocate because they are within 1,000 feet of a school.

"We're trying to focus our efforts on where we think there is the most public harm," Walsh told Colorado Public Radio. "And schools are our first focus."
Level of state oversight

Medical Marijuana Reduces Suicides — New Study.

High on Life? Medical Marijuana Laws and Suicide
by D. Mark Anderson, Daniel I. Rees, Joseph J. Sabia
(January 2012)

Abstract:
Using state-level data for the period 1990 through 2007, we estimate the effect of legalizing medical marijuana on suicide rates. Our results suggest that the passage of a medical marijuana law is associated with an almost 5 percent reduction in the total suicide rate, an 11 percent reduction in the suicide rate of 20- through 29-year-old males, and a 9 percent reduction in the suicide rate of 30- through 39-year-old males…

Read this important study yourself: http://ftp.iza.org/dp6280.pdf

WASHINGTON, DC -- President Barack Obama in an online "conversation" with American voters on Monday, failed to answer a barrage of questions about marijuana legalization or the drug war.

Although 18 out of 20 of the most popular questions submitted by voters via YouTube were about the drug war or pot, the president in his 45-minute post-State of the Union chat didn't address a single one.

"It is disappointing that, yet again, the administration has declined the opportunity to discuss the very serious issue of ending marijuana prohibition," Erik Altieri, spokesman for National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, wrote in an email. "For the ninth time, the White House has solicited the American people for direct input on the issues they cared about and then, when the resulting answers called overwhelmingly for marijuana law reform, President Obama ignores the will of the American people on this burning issue."

Google, which moderated the event from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., did not immediately respond to a query about why such questions were excluded. YouTube, a division Google, allowed users until Saturday midnight to designate a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" on questions submitted ahead of Monday's chat. Questions with the most thumbs up were deemed the most popular.

Washington, DC -- The U.S. Supreme Court refused to review a landmark decision today in which California state courts found that its medical marijuana law was not preempted by federal law. The state appellate court decision from November 28, 2007, ruled that "it is not the job of the local police to enforce the federal drug laws." The case, involving Felix Kha, a medical marijuana patient from Garden Grove, was the result of a wrongful seizure of medical marijuana by local police in June 2005. Medical marijuana advocates hailed today's decision as a huge victory in clarifying law enforcement's obligation to uphold state law. Advocates assert that better adherence to state medical marijuana laws by local police will result in fewer needless arrests and seizures. In turn, this will allow for better implementation of medical marijuana laws not only in California, but in all states that have adopted such laws.

Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas Jr.
Rhode Island Ave Task Force Meeting
&
Medical Marijuana Meeting
With Montel Williams
November 30, 2011 @ Israel Baptist Church
(1251 Saratoga Ave NE, Washington,DC)
Rhode Island Ave Task Force Meeting
6:30pm– 7:30pm
Medical Marijuana Meeting
7:30pm– 9:00pm