By Andrea Calcagno
 
March 10, 2009
 
MEDFORD, Ore. - Medical marijuana activists are encouraged by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement last month that the Drug Enforcement Administration will no long raid state-approved marijuana dispensaries.
 
The federal government does not recognize medical marijuana, but many states have laws allowing doctors to prescribe the drug to patients who have severe chronic pain.
 
Medical marijuana activists say the federal government's decision to let up on state medical marijuana laws is window of opportunity for Oregon to clarify its own law.
 
Oregon law currently allows doctors to prescribe the drug, but it remains illegal for the patient to pay someone to grow it.
 
California makes medical marijuana available to licensed holders through dispensaries around the state that are regulated by local governments.
 
Southern Oregon representatives with the activist group Voter Power say the federal government's announcement will make it easier to redefine Oregon's medical marijuana law.
 
"The Obama administration's announcement that they are going to allow the states to regulate medical marijuana is probably the biggest news in the history of medical marijuana because for 10 years, Oregon has been struggling, and the biggest problem with medical marijuana has been the conflict between the state laws which allow it and the federal law that prohibits it," says Voter Power director John Sajo.
 
Voter Power has proposed a bill to the Oregon legislature to offer regulated dispensaries for medical marijuana license holders. The group proposes that the dispensaries be overseen by the health department and taxed by state government.
 
There are also proposed bills in the legislature in favor of restricting marijuana laws.
 
One bill proposed to the Senate by the Associated Oregon Industries allow employers to remove any employees who has medical marijuana cards for safety reasons.