| LEAP |
| Neill Franklin, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition: “During his first time, President Obama really disappointed those of us who hoped he might follow through on his campaign pledges to respect state medical marijuana laws” |
U.S. Attorneys Urged To Use Discretion To Allow Successful State Implementation
A group of veteran law enforcement professionals on Tuesday will deliver a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at the Department of Justice urging the Obama Administration to respect state laws that legalize and regulate marijuana. Voters in the states of Colorado and Washington opted decisively for marijuana legalization on November 6, and national polls show majority support for replacing marijuana prohibition with legal regulation.
After personally delivering the letter signed by dozens of police, prosecutors, judges and federal agents to the Department of Justice at 9:00 a.m. ET, 34-year veteran narcotics cop Neill Franklin will join other law enforcers for a noon teleconference call to answer questions from journalists.
“During his first term, President Obama really disappointed those of us who hoped he might follow through on his campaign pledges to respect state medical marijuana laws,” said Neill Franklin, the former Baltimore narc who serves as executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). “Still, I’m hopeful that in his second term he’ll realize the political opportunity that exists to do the right thing.
“Polls show 80 percent support for medical marijuana, and in Colorado marijuana legalization got more votes than the president did in this most recent election,” Franklin pointed out.
| LEAP |
| Tony Ryan, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition: “There’s nothing the federal government can do to force these states to arrest people for marijuana possession” |
Tony Ryan, a retired 36-year veteran Denver police lieutenant, added, “From a public safety perspective, it’s crucial that the Obama administration let Colorado and Washington fully implement the marijuana regulation laws that voters approved on Election Day.
“There’s nothing the federal government can do to force these states to arrest people for marijuana possession, but if it tries and succeeds in stopping the states from regulating and taxing marijuana sales, cartels and gangs will continue to make money selling marijuana to people on the illegal market,” Ryan said. “Plus, the states won’t be able to take in any new tax revenue to fund schools.”
LEAP represents police, prosecutors, judges, corrections officials and others who, after witnessing the harms of the drug war firsthand, are now devoted to ending that war.
Who: 34-year veteran Baltimore narc Neill Franklin, former Seattle chief of police Norm Stamper, 36-year veteran former Denver police lieutenant Tony Ryan, former police lieutenant commander Diane Goldstein, and California NAACP President Alice Huffman.
What: Delivery of letter to Attorney General Eric Holder’s office at Department of Justice & teleconference with law enforcers
When: Tuesday, November 20 — Letter delivery at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time; Teleconference at 12:00 noon ET
Where: Letter delivery at U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530
