Many of us couldn’t see it at the time, but the federal raids of medical marijuana operators in Montana back in March was the beginning of a complete reversal of President Obama’s medical marijuana policy and the first salvo launched in a war that aims to bring now the medical cannabis industry nationwide.

While medical marijuana operators in CA at least got some kind of warning about the impending crackdown, operators in Montana got no such warning. One day everything was fine and most state authorities didn’t seem to have a problem with them – although some in the state legislature were seeking to overturn the state’s MMJ law. The next day the DEA was sweeping through the state, raiding caregivers and shutting down businesses.

But it goes beyond not having any warning. President Obama promised during the campaign to lay off medical marijuana providers following state law (and if they weren’t being raided by the state, what business do the feds have stepping in?).

Then the President reversed himself and let loose the DEA and other agencies against the medical marijuana patients of Montana.

This situation in our state is simply unfair. It’s unfair because, in effect, the federal government set some of these people up — promising a new policy then pulling the carpet out from under those who believed a new direction of hope and change was in the works.

It’s also cruel. It’s cruel because federal courts — in further contradiction to Obama’s promises — don’t allow any consideration of a person’s adherence to state and local law. The U.S. Attorney in Montana is pursuing prosecutions that won’t permit any fairness to what is discussed in court. No mention of the state law or of compliance with it. No mention of meetings with local and state officials to ensure that compliance with law was in place.

Not only has the federal government gone after medical marijuana, they did it after giving these operators a false sense of security – and that was by design

The element of surprise is one of the most important in war. You lead your enemy to believe something else is going to happen while planning all the while your actual offensive.

The problem of course is that medical marijuana patients shouldn’t be the enemy the federal government. It’s not like they were fomenting rebellion or sneaking terrorists into the country; they were just using cannabis as a safer alternative to deadly and addictive prescription drugs.

Why should they be punished for making a good decision?

Whatever the reason, everyone can now clearly see the writing on the wall. The feds are out for no less than the total destruction of the medical cannabis industry in this country.

- Joe Klare

And be sure to check out our Open Letter on Behalf of 30 Million Cannabis Users and join us in our fight!