Obama Grants Pardon to One Marijuana Manufacturer
Posted: Sat 27th Dec 2014 09:41 pm
"http://marijuana.com/news/2014/12/obama ... ufacturer/
marijuana.com - By Barry Bard on December 18, 2014
Obama Grants Pardon to One Marijuana Manufacturer
Earlier this week, Congress “officially” ended the war on medical marijuana dispensaries and patients. Now, President Barack Obama has begun to make good on his word to release low-level, imprisoned drug offenders.
Late yesterday, President Obama granted eight commutations and 12 full pardons to low-level drug offenders. All eight imprisoned drug-offenders, most of which have been in jail for over 10 years, will be released from jail in April or June of 2015.
While none of those soon-to-be freed prisoners were marijuana offenders, one of Obama’s 12 pardons (erasing an offense from one’s record) was directed towards a low-level marijuana offender that dates back to the 90s:
Donnie Keith Ellison – London, KY
Offense: Manufacture of marijuana (Eastern District of Kentucky)
Sentence: Five months’ imprisonment; three years’ supervised release (Sept. 1, 1995)
Ellison’s pardon puts him in company with individuals who committed fraud and distributed more dangerous drug like cocaine and methamphetamine.
So while this moral act by Obama represents a good start, it’s merely (and hopefully) a start. Donnie Keith Ellison is not the only man with an outdated marijuana offense on his record that predates our nation’s current progression with marijuana law and curtails lives.
In fact, many Americans still get arrested and find themselves in jail for similar offenses every day.
Given our nation’s growing acceptance of marijuana–and Obama’s own admission that it’s no less dangerous than alcohol–hopefully the president is considering vaster pardons for all marijuana offenders in the country.
In America, with overflowing jails and legal weed in four states (plus D.C.) the time is high for a full re-evaluation of all those imprisoned for marijuana offenses, both small and large.
If Italy can release 10,000 inmates jailed for marijuana, why can’t America? Even in legal Colorado, releasing prisoners in jail for weed is simply a cruel piece of satire.
View the full list of commutations and pardons right at The White House’s website http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-off ... nd-pardons"
marijuana.com - By Barry Bard on December 18, 2014
Obama Grants Pardon to One Marijuana Manufacturer
Earlier this week, Congress “officially” ended the war on medical marijuana dispensaries and patients. Now, President Barack Obama has begun to make good on his word to release low-level, imprisoned drug offenders.
Late yesterday, President Obama granted eight commutations and 12 full pardons to low-level drug offenders. All eight imprisoned drug-offenders, most of which have been in jail for over 10 years, will be released from jail in April or June of 2015.
While none of those soon-to-be freed prisoners were marijuana offenders, one of Obama’s 12 pardons (erasing an offense from one’s record) was directed towards a low-level marijuana offender that dates back to the 90s:
Donnie Keith Ellison – London, KY
Offense: Manufacture of marijuana (Eastern District of Kentucky)
Sentence: Five months’ imprisonment; three years’ supervised release (Sept. 1, 1995)
Ellison’s pardon puts him in company with individuals who committed fraud and distributed more dangerous drug like cocaine and methamphetamine.
So while this moral act by Obama represents a good start, it’s merely (and hopefully) a start. Donnie Keith Ellison is not the only man with an outdated marijuana offense on his record that predates our nation’s current progression with marijuana law and curtails lives.
In fact, many Americans still get arrested and find themselves in jail for similar offenses every day.
Given our nation’s growing acceptance of marijuana–and Obama’s own admission that it’s no less dangerous than alcohol–hopefully the president is considering vaster pardons for all marijuana offenders in the country.
In America, with overflowing jails and legal weed in four states (plus D.C.) the time is high for a full re-evaluation of all those imprisoned for marijuana offenses, both small and large.
If Italy can release 10,000 inmates jailed for marijuana, why can’t America? Even in legal Colorado, releasing prisoners in jail for weed is simply a cruel piece of satire.
View the full list of commutations and pardons right at The White House’s website http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-off ... nd-pardons"