Obama speaks out on medical marijuana

On the verge of becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, Sen.
Barack Obama (Ill.) has renewed his commitment to protecting medical marijuana
patients from arrest and jail.

Here is a quote from Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt from an article in today's
San Francisco Chronicle, which you can read at
http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=iY9m7SmQzoDBZmLFF92UyA.. :

"Voters and legislators in the states -- from California to Nevada to Maine -- have
decided to provide their residents suffering from chronic diseases and serious
illnesses like AIDS and cancer with medical marijuana to relieve their pain and
suffering. Obama supports the rights of states and local governments to make this
choice -- though he believes medical marijuana should be subject to (U.S. Food and
Drug Administration) regulation like other drugs."

With Sen. Obama now widely expected to win the Democratic nomination and in a year
when Democrats are favored to win the White House, this means we might be only eight
months away from having a White House that stands with us on medical marijuana
access.

You can also watch a video of Sen. Obama talking about medical marijuana at
http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=INw8Fu40Jq4YBXbUwYug_g.. .

In the months leading up to the New Hampshire Democratic primary election, MPP
helped persuade all of the Democratic presidential candidates and three of the
Republican candidates to pledge to end the arrest of patients in states with medical
marijuana laws.

In response to questions from MPP on the campaign trail, Sen. Obama stated that
arresting medical marijuana patients is not a good use of resources and promised to
end the federal raids on state medical marijuana patients and their caregivers.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) has also promised MPP that she would end the raids.

Unfortunately, the Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), earned
a grade of "F" from MPP for his inhumane stance on medical marijuana. In response to
repeated questions from MPP on the campaign trail, Sen. McCain incorrectly stated
that a majority of medical experts oppose medical marijuana, and he also gave a
patient who was politely questioning him a glimpse of McCain's famous temper.

Congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex.), who also remains in the Republican race, has been an
outspoken opponent of marijuana prohibition and has consistently voted in favor of
legislation to end the DEA's raids on patients.

Please visit MPP's campaign site,
http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=TsUFLpVEd2SvXwos0RTRYw.. , for statements from each
of the candidates.

MPP is the only drug policy reform organization that's systematically influencing
the presidential candidates to take positive positions on medical marijuana -- and
punishing those who don't. Would you please consider visiting
http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=6wmyyqatBwVmWDitij-DMw.. to make a donation to
support our work today?

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to
match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008.
This means that your donation today will be doubled.

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The Marijuana Policy Project hopes that each of the 180,000 subscribers on our
national e-mail list will make at least one financial donation to MPP's work in
2008. Please visit http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=0SjrpA5fYLlkgpJyqLdRsw.. to
donate now.

MPP will be able to tackle all of the projects in its 2008 strategic plan ---
http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=4kZT1I8CfHtbSbS9okLxDA.. --- if you and other allies
are able to fund our work.

Raised in 2008: $971,438
Goal in 2008: $3,000,000