Pubdate: Mon, 13 Jun 2005
Source: Summit Daily News (CO)
Copyright: 2005 Summit Daily News
Contact:  http://www.summitdaily.com/home.php
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/587
Author: Gary Lindstrom
Note: State Rep. Gary Lindstrom of Lakeview Meadows represents Summit, 
Eagle and Lake counties. He writes a Monday column.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Raich (Gonzales v. Raich)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

SUPREMES TAKE ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS PRICELESS

The United States Supreme Court has ruled medical marijuana is not
legal. I would not have expected a different decision from the
justices. But there is some interesting reasoning in the justice's
decision.

Some of the more conservative justices voted with the minority, saying
it is a states' rights issue and the federal government should butt
out. (No pun intended.)

The majority ruled that medical marijuana laws in states interfere
with the free commerce of the United States. Yes. Free commerce. They
said if individual states allow medical marijuana and others do not,
it will cause the free-market prices of marijuana to be adversely affected.

Man, what a stretch. The older I get, the less I understand why some
courts make the decisions they make.

Colorado voters approved medical marijuana use in a statewide ballot
initiative in 2000. What we said was if a person has a note from his
or her doctor, it is legal to grow and smoke marijuana for medical
purposes.

A couple of relatively local cases come to mind. The Summit County
Drug Task Force raided a home in Park County a couple of years ago.
The resident of the home had a prescription from his doctor for
medical marijuana. Big controversy at the time.

Up in Routt County, federal agents raided a home where a person was
smoking and growing weed under permission from his doctor. The drugs
were seized and all hell broke loose. Not sure the status of that case.

In Denver a month or so ago, a drug grower and smoker was arrested and
his dope was seized. A judge ordered the police to give the stuff back
because the smoker/grower had a note from his doc.

Several years ago the state decriminalized marijuana in small amounts,
less than an ounce, for personal use. It became a petty offense, and a
ticket can be issued to the possessor instead of going to the slammer.

All of these laws make a lot of sense. The free market excuse does
not.

Sheriff Bill Masters down in San Miguel County has his own approach to
the problem. He has said it is a waste of time and money to enforce
any drug laws. He is a Libertarian and has gained national prominence
for his position on drugs.

I have to agree with the sheriff. In my more than 30 years experience
in law enforcement, I have never seen anyone hurt from smoking
marijuana. The only damage done is to the nearest bag of chips. I
suppose someone could bang his head if he started nodding too much.

There are more people killed in the United States every year in car
accidents than were killed during the entire Vietnam War.

Most died because of alcohol, not wearing seat belts, or both. I am
not aware of anyone ever being killed in a car accident as the result
of smoking marijuana.

When have you ever heard a news report of a fatal car accident where
they said the cause was smoking marijuana? In almost every fatal
accident the reporter will say, "The police suspect alcohol was involved."

I suppose an argument could be made that marijuana smoking causes the
user to fall asleep. Falling asleep while driving is not good. Talking
on a cell phone while driving is not good either. Smoking your cell
phone while driving could be fatal, too.

Maybe if we legalized marijuana we could set the market price
nationally to placate the Supreme Court.

We could also heavily tax it and gain government benefit from
legalizing it. Maybe we could use the tax revenue for important things
like education and health care.

For health reasons, I oppose smoking. People should not smoke
marijuana, tobacco, phone books, or old tires because smoking anything
is bad for your health.

But not that it creates pricing issues and interferes with the free
trade of the United States of America. That is just plain silly. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake