Speaking at a press conference with DEA administrator Michelle Leonhart, Attorney General Eric Holder declared that ending medical marijuana raids

Speaking at a press conference with DEA
administrator Michelle Leonhart, Attorney General
Eric Holder declared that ending medical
marijuana raids "is now American policy."
A reporter asked, "shortly after the
inauguration there were raids on California
medical marijuana dispensaries...do you expect
these to continue?", noting that the President
had promised to end the raids in the campaign.
Holder responded, "What the President said
during the campaign...is consistent with what we
will be doing here in law enforcement. He was my
boss in the campaign....He is my boss now. What
he said in the campaign is now American policy."
!!!
The question appears about 25 minutes into the
press conference, which was devoted to an
operation against the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel.

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-A-15821

National Action Alert: Your Chance to Impact the US Attorney General Confirmation! Dear ASA Supporter,

National Action Alert:
Your Chance to Impact the US Attorney General Confirmation!

Dear ASA Supporter,

It’s here - your first opportunity to be a real part of changing medical cannabis policy. If you ever wanted to take action that could make a difference, now’s your chance!

On January 15th, Senate Judiciary Committee will begin confirmation hearings for President-elect’s nominee for US Attorney General, Eric H. Holder. Obama pledged to end DEA raids on individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their state law. The U.S. Attorney General is the cabinet official who can carry out this stance.

Now is the time to act! We need you to help make sure the first discussions with Obama’s Attorney General include questions on medical cannabis.

It just takes two short but critical phone calls to Judiciary Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) (202) 224-7703, and ranking Republican Member Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) (202) 224-5225). Call both offices and say:

"Hi, my name is ___________ and I am calling about the Attorney General confirmation hearings. President-elect Obama said numerous times during his campaign that DEA raids on individuals legally qualified to use medical cannabis in their states are a waste of resources and that he would end that policy. 72 million Americans live in the 13 states with medical cannabis laws. Please ask Eric Holder if he will uphold Obama's promise and end DEA raids on legal medical cannabis patients."

Because the federal government has refused to act, states have taken the lead in protecting patients who use medical cannabis. However, for 8 years the Bush Administration, the US Department of Jusice (DOJ), and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) have aggressively targeted, raided, arrested, and prosecuted individuals who comply with state medical cannabis laws. In court, defendants are not allowed to present this as evidence for their defense, or even to mention that such state laws exist. As a result, many innocent people are serving time in federal prisons, and many more are waiting for their sentence.

We demand change NOW. Stand up for them by joining our effort!

Once you’ve made the call, send a letter to increase the pressure even more!

Change will not be handed to us. If we want it we have to demand it, and now is the best opportunity this country has ever had. Thank you for being a part of it.

Sincerely,

George Pappas
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access