Action Alert: Call the Senate Judiciary Committee

Call the Senate Judiciary Committee Today!

The elections are over and it’s time to get back to work! Michele Leonhart, President Obama’s nominee to head the Drug Enforcement Administration, is scheduled to be confirmed by the US Senate Judiciary Committee the afternoon of Wednesday, November 17. As the deputy director of the DEA, Ms. Leonhart supervised an unprecedented level of   raids on medical marijuana dispensaries designed to undermine safe access and the implementation of state medical marijuana programs.

In October of 2009, the Obama Administration issued a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys discouraging the use of federal resources to prosecute individuals who are in “clear and unambiguous compliance” with their state compassionate use laws. Since then, ASA has tracked more than 30 federal enforcement raids in California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Nevada. Despite these tactics, more states are adopting regulations to authorize safe access to marijuana for medical purposes.

Negotiating the growing divide between state and federal medical marijuana laws will be among the toughest domestic policy challenges facing the next DEA Administrator. The DEA should do more to reconcile the conflict between state and federal laws, but ASA questions whether Ms. Leonhart possesses the leadership necessary to facilitate this change.

ASA is leading the call for compassionate and responsible leadership at the highest levels of government and we need your help. Call Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them to examine Ms. Leonhart’s record closely. Urge them to use the hearing to determine whether Ms. Leonhart is committed to working with Congress and state officials to develop a comprehensive medical marijuana strategy that respects state law and facilitates safe access to marijuana for therapeutic use and research.

Phone calls make a difference! Tell Senators on the Judiciary Committee that more should be done to reconcile the conflict between state and federal medical marijuana laws. Demand that these Senators ask Michele Leonhart the tough questions.

PHONE SCRIPT

Hello.  My name is ______________.  I am calling to urge Senators on the Judiciary committee to ask Michele Leonhart some tough questions during her confirmation hearing this week.  President Obama’s pick to head the DEA authorized hundreds of paramilitary-style enforcement raids on patients and providers who were in clear compliance with their state medical marijuana laws. These raids are a waste of resources and I think more needs to be done to resolve the growing conflict between state and federal law.  Please ensure that the next DEA Administrator possesses the leadership necessary to create a national strategy that supports safe and legal access to marijuana for medical purposes.

Members of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary

Democrats

For ideas on questions for the Senate Judiciary Committee to ask Ms. Leonhart, see ASA’s confirmation questions here.

For background on Ms. Leonhart and her anti-medical marijuana career with the DEA, check out ASA’s Memo to the Senate Judiciary Committee.