Med Marijuana Backers Cheer End to Raids

Supporters of medical marijuana are celebrating a remark by Attorney General Eric Holder that went largely unnoticed this week, MSNBC reports. Asked about federal drug raids on state-approved dispensaries that led to 775 arrests, Holder said such busts are a thing of the past. What President Obama "said during the campaign ... is now American policy," Holder said, referring to Obama's support for medical marijuana.

“My attitude is if the science and the doctors suggest that the best palliative care ... is medical marijuana, then that’s something I’m open to,” Obama said on the campaign trail. The White House website on drug policy still supports President Bush's approach—the DEA shut down 30 to 40 marijuana centers during his presidency—but marijuana advocates are cheering nonetheless. “Holder’s statement marks a dramatic shift in US drug policy," one said. (More medical marijuana stories.)