Pubdate: Fri, 26 Apr 2013
Source: Tucson Weekly (AZ)
Copyright: 2013 Tucson Weekly
Contact:  http://www.tucsonweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/462
Author: J. M. Smith

THE FIGHT CONTINUES

While the End of the Prohibition on Marijuana Seems Imminent on Some 
Fronts, There Are Still Those Resisting the Path of Progress

Across the nation, cannabis advocates in and out of the medical 
marijuana arena in recent weeks have been trumpeting a New World 
Order where weed is concerned. The feds vowed to back off of 
dispensaries and the banks that want to serve them; and Sanjay Gupta 
flipped his stance on cannabis, saying he hadn't really looked much 
at the stuff, and now that he has, well, it's legit. All hail the Gupta.

But lest we forget, there are still a lot of folks out there who 
think cannabis and its derivatives should be illegal, and the fact 
that they're not in the federal government is a dangerous thing 
indeed for cannabis users and advocates everywhere, or at least in 
the states where the hemp haters hate and advocates advocate. We're 
headed for a patchwork of laws that will force a traveler to buy meds 
10 times on a cross-country drive, only to have to ditch them at the 
state line for every dry state. It will also splinter the 
legalization fight into potentially dozens of state and local battles.

Fuckers.

Although I think we're on a slope slipping toward lifting of the 
federal prohibition-even Arizona Sen. John McCain said at a town hall 
meeting last month in Tucson that legalization is a "conversation we 
need to have"-there is plenty of fight left in cannabis fighters, 
even if the federal government comes to its collective senses. To wit:

New Jersey

That Big Guy in New Jersey was hailed as a hero recently when he 
signed legislation making medical cannabis available to children, 
should their doctors and parents agree. Um, but since Chris Christie 
took office just one cannabis dispensary has opened.

The medical cannabis law took effect right before he was elected, and 
the Republicanish governor hasn't exactly urged the process along. So 
patient Richard Caporusso and Dr. Jeffrey Pollack sued, asking a 
judge to at the very least force the state health board to explain 
under oath what's taking so long.

Meanwhile, legislators have twice passed resolutions expressing 
outrage that the program as designed isn't what they wanted when they 
approved the broad strokes. A lawyer for the state argued before 
appellate judges in Caporusso and Pollack's case that the state isn't 
dragging its feet. They're just being thorough.

Yes, thoroughly annoying.

Massachusetts

The State With A Hook On The Eastern End passed its medical marijuana 
law in 2012, and the state promptly set about creating a program to 
get meds to patients in a timely, responsible manner. In May they 
published rules.

But last year, when the state approved the program, towns erupted in 
a fit of objections, many raising their pitchforks and torches to try 
to ban dispensaries. Nope, said the judges, you can't ban them, so 
the rowdy peasantry regrouped in a lawsuit trying to find a way to 
block dispensaries through 2015. Wtf? The judge ruled that's ridiculous.

Way to go, judge.

Arizona

In our own great state, the Department of Health Services warned 
dispensary operators that prosecutors consider cannabis oil-a much 
more controlled and effective way to dose edibles-as contraband. The 
health department is trying to work with them to figure out what to 
do, because criminal law still considers oils illegal. Only flowers 
are legal under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, law enforcers say.

I know what to do. How about STFU and let dispensaries give me the 
most efficient and pure way to get meds?

Anyway, don't get too excited about Gupta and the Holder Brigade 
changing their tunes. Even if the federal government keeps moving in 
the right direction, there are plenty of ways for cock-blockers to 
block, and for the contra-cannabis crowd to drag feet and resist the 
change we want to be in the world.

I suspect that even after (not if) the feds drop prohibition, there 
will be a strong phalanx of state and local do-gooders waiting to 
stand in your way.

Because plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom