Pubdate: Sun, 23 Sep 2012
Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA)
Copyright: 2012 North County Times
Contact: http://www.nctimes.com/app/forms/letters/index.php
Website: http://www.nctimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080

CONVERSATION NEEDED ON MARIJUANA

Conflicts between state and federal law are hardly uncommon, and go
back to the earliest days of our nation's history. From taxation to
the legal rights of escaped slaves, state legislatures and Congress
have often been at odds.

We see that continuing today with issues ranging from illegal
immigration to voter ID laws. And, nearly as contentiously as those
issues, with medical marijuana.

California voters approved the growing use and not-for-profit sale of
marijuana for medical use in 1996. Federal law continues to prohibit
the use or possession of marijuana, and federal agents have continued
to enforce federal law in California.

And yet, even federal pressure provides no excuse for local
governments continuing to defy the voters' clearly expressed will ----
something we've seen far too often in the 16 years since Proposition
215 legalized medical pot in California. We've seen county governments
sue to overturn the election results, and numerous jurisdictions have
dragged their feet in offering guidance to those who would provide or
use medical marijuana under Prop. 215.

In fact, this election, voters in Del Mar and Solana Beach are being
asked to vote on ballot measures that would direct their respective
City Councils to draft rules allowing medical marijuana dispensaries
in their jurisdictions.

Prop. 215 was sloppily written, and provides poor guidance to
lawmakers. (It is worth noting that this newspaper opposed Prop. 215,
believing its advocacy for medical marijuana was based almost entirely
on anecdotal evidence rather than solid medical and scientific research.)

But the voters' intent was crystal-clear, and there is nothing to
indicate that the electorate feels any differently today. If anything,
support for medical use of marijuana is stronger than it was when
Prop. 215 was approved.

Given this, we urge the state Legislature to draft new regulations for
the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana. We believe that
the only rational way to distribute a substance being used for medical
purposes is through the existing pharmaceutical infrastructure: The
Legislature should do away with the hodgepodge of local regulations
allowing for marijuana dispensaries, and institute statewide rules
allowing medical marijuana to be sold as a prescription from licensed
pharmacies.

We realize this presents a direct challenge to federal law and
authority ---- and that federal law trumps state and local laws.

But with states across the country relaxing their laws regarding
medical marijuana, the federal government needs to begin a dialogue
about how to approach changing public attitudes on pot.

Congress should pass legislation directing the administration to
suspend federal enforcement of laws regarding marijuana, and authorize
the kind of serious, sober research into marijuana's palliative
properties that should have been conducted years ago.

The ground is shifting on how our culture perceives marijuana,
particularly for medical use, and it's time to force Washington to
take part in the ongoing conversation.
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MAP posted-by: Matt