Pubdate: Sun, 30 Sep 2012
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2012 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Author: Stephen Downing
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n477/a08.html

SOME CLARITY ON POT POLICY

The problem does not lie fully with Sacramento. When he was attorney 
general, Jerry Brown issued guidelines clarifying Proposition 215, 
the ballot measure allowing medical marijuana in California. Many 
cities successfully implemented these guidelines. Now even these 
reasonable regulations have been hammered into the ground by the feds.

The problem in California is twofold. First, several local 
governments have ignored state sovereignty and the will of the people 
by running to the feds to work out any conflicts. Second, 
professional law enforcement organizations are reluctant to turn down 
the federal money that addicts them to drug grants and profits from 
asset-seizure programs.

Consequently, our local police officers have become drug warriors. 
This war has undermined the health, safety and stability of our 
communities and denied medical marijuana patients safe access to 
their medicine. It has gone on long enough.

Stephen Downing

Long Beach The writer, a retired Los Angeles Police Department deputy 
chief, is a board member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom