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New Guidelines on Legal Pot Use Are a Welcome Shield for Californians with Medical Needs

Wed, Aug 27, 2008 12:17 pm

They're more than a decade overdue, but the guidelines on medical marijuana issued this week by California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown could finally help divide the gray area in which the state's growers and dispensers operate into clearer shades of black and white.

Brown's 11-page directive is aimed at giving police the ability to distinguish between criminals and legitimate medical marijuana sellers under state law, as well as protecting patients from arrest. It won't stop federal drug enforcement agents from raiding law-abiding dispensaries and prosecuting innocent business owners whenever they see fit, but it will make such raids harder to justify -- and might ramp up the pressure for more sensible federal marijuana policies.

When California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 215 in 1996, allowing the sale and use of marijuana for people with demonstrated medical needs, it set off a host of consequences both positive and negative. As voters intended, thousands of people suffering from AIDS, glaucoma and other serious ailments now have access to a safe, legitimate treatment. Yet as voters didn't intend, the state is now riddled with dispensaries that employ on-site doctors who will write a prescription to nearly anyone who walks through the door, while places such as Humboldt County have been invaded by criminal elements running underground grow houses to supply these middlemen.

Most of the negative consequences can be attributed to the gap between state and federal marijuana laws. The fact that even sellers considered legitimate by the state can be prosecuted and ruined by federal agents encourages black-market dealers, who endanger their communities by ignoring fire codes, selling to healthy minors and fighting turf wars with other dealers. The centerpiece of Brown's directive is its insistence that medical marijuana sellers must operate as nonprofit collectives or cooperatives, and the marijuana they sell must be grown by state-certified patients or caregivers. That will empower municipal police to weed out the bad guys.

Overall, Proposition 215 has done more good than harm. In addition to marijuana's medical benefits, its legitimate sale brings in $100 million a year in tax revenues, and even though it can be abused by users, it isn't demonstrably more dangerous to society than tobacco and alcohol. The state's new guidelines will help reduce the measure's harmful side effects, but the only long-term solution is for the feds to stop the medical marijuana raids and leave California law enforcement to California officers.

» add a comment

TyroneMcBlack

Aug 30 2008, 12:58 am

You nigs need to stop arguin online n smoke up a blunt yall! Yea yea son, aight purp kush all da way!!1!

FRIED CHICKEN!

Its Me

Aug 29 2008, 5:45 pm

And Further More You Nead To Leard How To Read,When And Where Did Anything I Wrote Change? Where Does It Go From 5 K Per Lb To 3 K? If Your Dumb Ass Would Just Leard How To Read You Would See It Clearly Says 5,000.00 Per Pound And 3,000 lbs A Day FOOL!!!

Its Me

Aug 29 2008, 5:42 pm

So Your Wife Told You About My Dick Size Huh.....

Crazy Liberal

Aug 28 2008, 11:24 pm

Maybe if they made medical marijuana as hard to obtain and oxycontin then perhaps only people who really need it could get it... not these fucking idiot teenagers who say they have sleep disorders so they can go to clubs and think there getting the dankest herb there is.
FYI the dank isn't at the clubs, its in a closet grown by some person you would never suspect and its a hell of a lot cheaper. Say all you want, its never as good as if you grow your own.

thc bear to its dumbass

Aug 28 2008, 10:59 am

you should read my post again. I never said anyone wrote a 450mill check. it would probably be closer to 4.5mill. I only said that your math sucked more than 707stoners. you changed it from 5000 to 3000 an lb and you pulled that 84% number out your ass. Now stop thinking youre better than everyone else, you old fart. YOU ARE nothing but a huge dick.

Aug 28 2008, 6:07 am

" yes ITS ME is back kids " ...? Sorry , never heard of you . I'm sure you're somebody , somewhere ...........

Its Me

Aug 28 2008, 2:52 am

Only 16% Huh,So Your Saying What? They Were Selling 84% More Or Less Then The 3,000 Lbs a Day To Make Those Kind Of Taxes? I AM Huge In The Prop 215 Circle Asshole AND NOBODY IN THE HISTORY OF SELLING SMOKE UNDER PROP 215 Has Wrote A Single Check EVER For 450 Mil.Get Your Facts Straight Asshole.What Bank Did They Take Their Billions Too? Stupid Child Smoke Is For Adults............

thc bear to its me and 707stoner

Aug 28 2008, 12:18 am

there is a 35% federal income rate, a 9.8% state income tax, 7.25% state sales tax, and payroll taxes. Your math only counts for about a total 16% tax on everything. seriously, did you even go to school. 450 million might not be the correct number but your numbers suck worse. who is stupid now..um.. its you.

Its Me

Aug 27 2008, 6:18 pm

Nobody wrote any 450 Million $$$$ Check,Are You 12 or just stupid,Hello Yes ITS ME is Back Kids.... Get a Fucking Clue,So I Should Believe They Brought In Around 6.8 Billion In Sales Right,Lets Brake That Down To Some Numbers You Can Understand:

At Top Market Prices 5,000 Per Lb That Would Mean They Sold 1,360,000 Lbs At 5,000 Per Lb In One Year ARE YOU FUCKING OUT OF YOU FUCKING MIND KID!!!!!!!Thats Like Over 3,000 Lbs A Day In 1/8 & 1/4 Oz Sacks,Get Your Numbers Straight Before You Open Your Mouth Kid...Cough,Cough,Cough....Love That Oil....

AProsecutor

Aug 27 2008, 6:15 pm

You are dead wrong about what will happen to the dispensaries. According to the AG opinion very few, if any, will qualify to remain open. What this opinion did was open the door for more aggressive prosecution of many "businesses" that have operated under a veil of protection from Prop 215.

The interesting thing will be to see if the Courts back the AG opinion.

Aug 27 2008, 2:57 pm

California ? Never been there .

707Stoner

Aug 27 2008, 2:44 pm

Who ever wrote this articles doesnt even have some of their facts right 100 MILLION A YEAR IN TAX REVENUE IS A VERY HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT!!! The Alameda Care Center before it was raided sent a 450 million dollar check to pay their taxes, this is just one club and its tryin to say 100 million collectivly from all over cali. shit... maybe i should write articles seems like you only need to know half the facts these days.

Hot Soup

Aug 27 2008, 1:21 pm

I live in Idaho for now. But I'm orignally from so cal. And the fact that this has taken so long to be introduced to the dying number of patients out there is rediculious. It should have been there along time ago. On that point I live in a state that offers no medical help in medical cannabis but at the same time will have more leanyant laws for simple poss. You can have up to 3oz. and still have a misstominor charge. I live in surrounding areas with medical cannabis Montana to the north, Washington to the northwest, Oregon to the west, Navada and California to the southwest. But nothing here but you can have up to 3oz.? What the hell is wrong with the world today?