US Attornery General, Eric Holder, claims his Justice Department will back off on prosecution of potheads in states where they've legalized medical marijuana.
This sort of half-assery is not a solution. Sham 'medical' dispensaries, like the one above, are a joke (I don't know for a certainty that the above shop is shady, but given the name, the storefront doctor right next to it, it's location near UCLA, all signs point to shaminess). People who want to get high shouldn't have to commit fraud to do so (in conspiracy with shady doctors). Either stuff should be legal, or not, the 'medical' marijuana loophole is ridiculous.
There's still too large of a grey area, and with that grey area you get selective enforcement. The feds are deferring to states, but even within the states that have legalized the sticky icky, you are going to get politically motivated crackdowns by law enforcement officials who want to burnish their 'law and order' bona fides. The same day the AP reports on AG Holder's new guidelines, there's a story about Los Angeles County District Attorney (and likely 2013 mayoral candidate) Steve Cooley stepping up raids on shops that are suspected of playing a bit loose with the 'medical' aspect of medical marijuana.
Here's what I said on the subject of decriminilization during the election when past statements from then Candidate Obama were making the rounds
I've always found that position asinine. Either something is legal, or not. Decriminilization is a dodge, sets people up for selective prosecution or fines, and makes the job of police and prosecutors more, not less, complicated.
(and if you follow that link, please ignore what I wrote about that Fairey poster, I was very wrong about that one, didn't expect so many to be so eagerly gullible for an Obama-centric cult of personality)
3 comments:
When I flew back from FLorida a few months ago, the guy sitting next to me was dying of cancer. He had a great attitude though and was joking away like crazy.
Anyway he was showing me all his pills he had to take. One of them was medical maryjane which look like little rolled up pellets. Sort of like rabbit shit.
Didn't seem like all that much fun.
That's kind of dumb of cancer dude, neither Florida or New York are medical marijuana states, so he could have been nabbed at either airport, and could even have faced serious time if he had more than a few weeks' supply (especially in Florida, where possession of even fairly small amounts can result in a felony).
I think everything should be legal at the federal level, and then let each state or county decide for themselves what to prohibit.
Well I don't think he cared. It was prescibed meds in one of those vials with a doctors perscription and everything. Now he told me it was maryjane but it could have been oregano for all I know.
That wouldn't be the first time that happened to me.
Allegdedly.
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