Feds put damper on big pot farms

OAKLAND, Calif., July 2 (UPI) -- Plans to build a large marijuana-growing facility in Oakland, Calif., were stymied when the Obama administration clarified its position on the issue.
In a letter to federal prosecutors, U.S. Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole said plans some cities and states have for "multiple, large-scale, privately operated, industrial marijuana cultivation centers" are against the law.
In a Los Angeles Times report, Cole said Obama's hands-off policy on medical marijuana patients was "never intended to shield such activities from federal enforcement action and prosecution, even where those activities purport to comply with state law."
"Unfortunately, this is a step backward," said Joe Elford, chief counsel for Americans for Safe Access. "We kind of regard this as kind of the equivalent of 'don't ask, don't tell.' Obama made certain campaign promises, and he's not carrying through on them."
Cole's letter put a damper on one Oakland man's plan to convert 172,000 acres of aging and empty warehouse buildings into a medical marijuana-growing center.
Jeff Wilcox said he commissioned a report concluding his proposal would be worth $59 million annually, and could send up to $3.4 million to city coffers each year.
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of medical cannabis for a wide range of conditions, from back pain to migraine headaches.

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A 172 acre pot farm?  Wow!  I thought corn was the crop of the future what with ethanol and alternative fuels.  I am hoping to become a farmer some day and I have a new plan.  I am developing a new fuel based on the cannabis plant.  It’s called cannigas. You will be able to sit at a stop light and ease the migraine pain of the guy behind you.  Think about it!  Finally; there’s a fuel that’s good for the climate and eliminates headache pain.  When my new fuel hits the market there will be a lot less road rage.  With cannigas you can relieve aches and pains, drive a green car, and become a much happier commuter.  Your car will get 42 miles to the gallon, and if it doesn’t . . . . .  you won’t care.  You can throw your GPS away.  With cannigas if you get lost  . . . . . . you won’t care. They say that Americans are addicted to their cars. . . . . not anymore.  While cannigas may change your driving habit; it is not addictive!