Today on CNN...

"DEA Raids Los Angeles Cannabis Dispensaries"

The reporter on this story addressed a key issue, namely Obama's campaign indication that Justice Department resources will not be used on pointless medicinal cannabis club raids. The Obama Administration also argued the federal government should not spend federal revenues infringing on state laws (e.g. California's Prop 215 which made medical cannabis legal), an argument with strong constitutional backbone.

Of course a DEA spokeperson had to spoil the good news, or at least try to, by telling CNN, "Despite what Obama said during the campiagn, the DEA will continue to raid marijuana dispensaries because they are a front for drug trafficking and crime...they profit by preying on our communities." Now the DEA would say that because who doesn't want a bigger budget, especially in this economy? Right now America doesn't have the extra cash to be chasing harmless cannabis shops (never mind that cannabis is CA's largest cash crop that could provide the cash strapped state with over $1 billion in tax revenue per year...and don't forget about hemp).

But why is the DEA talking like this when Obama promised to end raids? Is he a liar? Maybe. But Obama has yet to find a replacement to G.W. Bush's DEA appointee, who continued the Clinton policy-era cannabis dispensary raids. However this a promising story coming from the Obama Admin...

I'll believe it when I see it but it's comforting to read.