How do you say: “Game, set, match” in southern California? Here’s how:
High court won’t hear county’s marijuana challenge
via SignOnSanDiego.com
The U.S. Supreme Court will not take up San Diego County’s challenge to state medical marijuana laws.
For more than three years the county has been fighting in court to overturn state laws that require counties to issue medical marijuana identification cards. The county contends federal law, which does not recognize medical marijuana usage, trumps the state law.
The county has lost that argument in state trial and appellate courts, and the state Supreme Court declined to take up the case, too. The county’s last, long-shot chance was to have the U.S. Supreme Court take up the case.
San Bernardino and Merced counties initially joined the suit, but Merced eventually dropped out. The high court also rejected San Bernardino’s petition to take up the case.
In other words, the oft-heard prohibitionist refrain that federal law trumps state medical marijuana laws has no legal merit.
None. Nada. Zero.
To anyone who has followed the unethical actions of the San Diego and San Bernardino Supervisors over the past three years, the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear their appeal shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, the counties’ vapid arguments had previously been struck down — unanimously — by the Superior Court of the state of California the 4th District Court of Appeals.
In addition, the Legislative Counsel of California, the state Attorney General’s Office, and a majority of the California legislature had also previously determined that local politicians and law enforcement were obligated to uphold the provisions of California’s medical marijuana laws.
Finally, California’s constitution is also quite clear on this point — mandating that police have a sworn duty to uphold state law, not to enforce federal statutes.
Let’s be blunt: San Diego and San Bernardino’s protracted lawsuits — lawsuits that arguably cost county taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and jeopardized the health and safety of thousands (if not tens of thousands) of citizens — were never about resolving legal ambiguity.
Rather, it was about the arrogance and recalcitrance of those who willfully chose to abuse their power and position to hamstring the will of the voters, the legislature, and the courts.
And while this particular legal battle is now over, our outrage shouldn’t be.
Wow, absolutely stunning.
Let’s keep pushing back guys. If we work hard enough, we can finally win this ridiculous battle once and for all.
Hello Friends,
I wrote these guys an email informing them I would boycott their fair city from my vacations. And said that until they respected the voters of Calif. wishes, I would not spend another dime in their county. I received some wishy washy answer about how they were doing the right thing.NOW they can eat their words and their fool headed ways. We all deserve respect.They want a WAR against use and they should not be let off the hook.Lawsuit???? Kick in the teeth?????
Peace Out!
Time to light one up for VICTORY!!
“Let’s be blunt” indeed!
First comment!
And this is a good day for smot pokers.
Things are lookin’ better, fellas.
I have sent this to all of my media contacts. Let the outrage begin.
The pols in San Diego have been jerking our chain for years. Their voters should notify them that it is time to respect the will of the voters.
It is 2009, it is long past time for the politicians to realize that Willie Horton was 25 years ago.
Why can’t we have the same laws all over the country? Why the disparity from state to state? I thought this was the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! Here in Arkansas we are no closer to having legal assess to medical marijuana than putting a man on the sun!
I am so proud that the courts in California are seeing that the people voices are strong and that medical marijuana has a place in that state among others, but we need the President to give ALL sick and hurting people all over this country the ability to use medical marijuana and it needed to happen yesterday! There are people that are running out of time from being forced to use pharmaceuticals to relieve pain and in turn making them selves sicker from said legal drugs to wait for the Government to make up there damn minds about this issue. I for one am damn tired of waiting!!! Congrats California because it is about time.
WooooHoooo, so glad to hear this,but its only a step in the right direction there is more to do by educating people on the facts and only facts,,we still need to contact our state reps and let them know how we will be voting and a BIG THNX for all that you guys at NORML do for the cause!!!!
I wish the major broadcasting networks would provide coverage of the wasteful spending that is taking place. It is obvious that the actions taken by San Bernardino and Merced counties had no legal bearings and their only hope was to make it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Everything about the medical marijuana laws is just that LAW, trying to discount the legality is incredulous and they should be exposed for the money wasted, the illigitamacy of their argument, and the false propaganda that supports their case.
Wow…time to spark tis Joint :]
You’re damn right Paul! As a native San Diegan I’m am glad that this lawsuit was knocked down. With the ridiculous budget deficit in this City and county this should be the last thing that the city is pursuing. There was talk at my son’s school of going to 4 days a week instead of 5, they already lost their librarian, and my son’s teacher from a previous grade was also laid off including hundreds maybe thousands of other teachers in San Diego and California as a whole. This debate on legalization needs to happen NOW! The community of Pacific Beach here in San Diego just recently had a Medical dispensary open up and the citizens there are all afraid of the same old “reefer madness” bullcrap. Nevermind that Pacific Beach is filled to the brim with bars and clubs that the college and military crowd frequent every weekend getting into fights, DUI’s, private property destruction and the list goes on. But “OH NO” there’s a medical marijuana dispensary opening up! Now we’re scared! People need to wake up! Freedom now! LEGALIZE!
You think that is bad? In el cajon a city in san diego. They have banned all glass pieces. Meaning, you have to go about 20 miles away to get a bong. A good 5 headshops are going under and it is sad. Glass shops are only alowed to sell hookas. I have my card though, even though i had to get it up north. And when I want weed I have to go up north. Thanks Obama…
Well that’s called getting owned where I’m from. If the US supreme court isn’t going to fight medical marijuana then this is a really good sign.
Visit your local hydroponics shop today. Grow, grow, grow.
Having lived in San Diego for 14 years and actively collected signatures in 1996 for the 215 petition, I can attest to their staunch republican and retrogressive agenda.
I got more signatures for that petition by telling them that the only way to vote “AGAINST” medical marijuana was by getting it on the ballot. That was 13 years ago and this attempt by right wing San Diego to deny patients this medicine shows their collective “intellect”.
Maybe now we can get the government to reschedule cannabis from sched 1 to maybe 2 or better yet sched 3.
– San Deigo and San Bernardino counties
have been acting as if they’re a branch of the federal gov’t.
They’re NOT.
– They’re of the State of California,
and MUST honor Prop 215,
as passed by the voters.
It’s the LAW!!!
We knew what we voted YES on in 1996!!!
Score one for the good guy!
Please sign my petition, calling for a national vote on the legalization of cannabis and its derivatives for industrial, medicinal, and recreational use (by persons over 21 years of age). It has more than 1,000 signatures already. criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/national_vote_on_legalization_of_cannabis
Score one more for the good guys.
Like I have said before. WE are the one’s that truly rule and if you don’t like it then you can always move. Hopefully to the Bermuda Triangle, and be lost to the rest of the sensible world. federal law only applies when the fed has authority appointed to it. State law supersedes federal law….Check you local constitution, This important document say’s this in plain English. PEACE… AL
I am pleased about the ruling as a San Diegan. I am disappointed that so many county resources were wasted on this challenge and that the attorneys used rhetoric instead of reason.
But maybe in this case, reconciliation could be more useful than outrage.
Those lawyers aren’t giving our money back. Those officials will probably be voted out… not for this specifically, but because this is a symptom of their power hungry illness. I, however, hope they get some medicine for their illness, but not outrageously.
Yeah! Freedom rings. I guess those of us who had our medical cannabis confiscated can now file tort claims against the agency that took it. In my case it will be against the San Diego County Sheriffs Dept. You can find a pre filled out form to file a motion for return of property at http://www.safeaccessnow.org/section.php?id=187. You can also find related information related to your motion.
What should follow is a class action lawsuit by the citizens of both counties,against the ones responsable for recklessly spending their tax money,and denying them the cards/medicine and the right to Medical Marijuana.How many times did they have to lose in court? How much did that ultimately cost in both money to persue the “lost cause”and for the personal suffering by all those people? Make the bastards pay with their money,and their jobs.
first they ignore you , then they belittle you , then they fight you, then you Win! quoted by someone smarter than I !!!! But very applicable!
Even in California, the state that started this whole movement, this type of nonsense can still happen. I have a proposition. Remember when all of the slaves wanted to leave here and start their own country, Liberia? How about all of us who use marijuana and have not been accepted by many in secular society get our own piece of land? Why not say, MARY(jane)LAND, or Maryland. I’m just saying. Is there anywhere aside from Portugal or Amsterdam, where English is the primary language and I (me not the government) can make a decision regarding what I put into my body? I’m so fed up with this land of make believe freedom.
I know that San Diego is conservative, and it shows in this story. The people have won for surea and medical cannabis rules the day!
Prohibitionists live in a very “special” world of their own creation. They even create their own facts to support their opinions. This is because they think they are so wise, learned and insightfull they believe they have a duty and obligation to run other people’s lives. If they choose to live in this la la land, I respect their right to do so. When they try and impose their vulgar stupidity on my world, they have crossed the line. What part of “read the Constitution of the United States and mind your own business” can’t prohibitionists seem to understand?
what the EFF is taking NJ so damn long!?
Now maybe the rest of our States will wake up to the reality that MJ should be legal for all States, medically speaking of course. Personal use, I think we’ll be seeing results that shock the world over the next year to two years.
GO CALIFORNIANS!
Anyone who has the power to get these supervisors thrown out of office need to get to work.I don’t know what some of our “leaders” are using for brains these days, but I know you get what you put up with, want more of the same , then do nothing.
Ostrich..Hide your head in the sand…maybe “it” will go away. Another example of government ignoring the will of the people.
“In other words, the oft-heard prohibitionist refrain that federal law trumps state medical marijuana laws has no legal merit.”
Exactly. Glad to see SOMEONE has their head screwed on properly.
I’m not no law professor but I think i learned that the states laws overrule federal law in middle school, they did this because the colonists were afraid of a big all controlling federal gov’t. But I suppose if politicians followed the constitution there would be no war on my pursuit of happiness.
The snowball is rolling.
It’s starting to look like the prohibitionist are getting desperate. When the truth is completely known about cannibus we will all be set free once again. There will always be those that will fill the world with untruths about things they would like to control. Like the old saying goes ” the truth will set you free”. Let’s all hope that bares fruit in our case.
So how does the voting public in San Diego feel about this? Any chances of this coming back and biting those responsible on voting day?
BOOYA!!!!!!!
I live in San Bernardino and I am outraged that our county officials continue to fight medical marijuana. We can’t even open dispensaries in this county; everyone has to go to Los Angeles to use clinics. It’s a great injustice.
What arrogance, spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer’s dollars on a lawsuit that taxpayers don’t support, which would in effect be a direct attack on the taxpayers. The scumbags shouldn’t be fired, they should be fired and then thrown in prison.
When was the last time a doctor could prescribe medical marijuana for glaucoma under federal law? I thought that was legal 40 years ago
well thats what they get for jumping the gun so much be patient people this will come at a time when its supposed to at least i hope
how can this country stand out against human rights violation when we ourself in this country put people away for years for a harmless plant. It seems so backward. Its a witch hunt of the highest standard. Marijuana is still classified as a schedule I drug, that to me tells that the witch hunt will never end and this country will only live off seeing people put in cages all their lives or have their lives RUINED for using a harmless plant. Home of the free, home of the brave, i think not. Their are no liberties in this
country. you either do what you are told, or you will be locked up in one of the great private prison system that this country uses now. In 1989 there were some 5 private prisons, now there are over 200. It is an
industry in this country to put people in prison.
That is the drug “war”. To lock people up and
forget them rather than to see that we
as a country have made a mistake with regards to the war
on drugs,. This is nixon era politics anymore the
country has changed. We need a new
direction forward rather than the status quo
of prohibition.
Thats bullshit those judges from the high court must get fired! We have got to stop electing ignorant fools!
I live in San Diego and i am so happy this was announced.
Maybe we will have some more tax revenue from some dispensaries opening? What are the chances of that?
Woot!!!!
As a San Diego resident, this makes me ecstatic!
San Diego’s actions against medical marijuana users are despicable. It is beyond me why California medical marijuana laws are a problem for the officials of the county of San Diego. Is it hurting them in some way? I believe there actions can be explained only as evil. Many believe that the police force is wary of giving up the cash flow generated by civil forfeiture in marijuana arrests. Sickening.
The people WILL WIN!!!!!
The problems California see’s as liberal as they are scares me how hard its gonna be in the Carolina’s when the levy finally breaks here. I pray for the invention of the teleporter….
How can the Govt keep marijuana scheduled the way it is and not be prosecuted if they are saying it has no medicinal properties and are keeping it scheduled as it is isnt that lying to the public because dont the Govt still give it out to a certain number of Americans for medicine and isnt there a contract for marinol,,doesnt this mean our Govt is a bunch of hypocrites and cant something be done legally because of this?
These people that we hire to represent our interests in government are NOT our masters, they are our HIRED HELP. If the guy you hired to clean your floor, pissed on it instead, would you allow him to continue?
We, you and I, the owners of America are under no obligation to obey any law which undermines those rights GUARANTEED us by the constitution
It’s that time of year again, everybody.
PLANT SEEDS EVERYWHERE!
OVERGROW THE GOVERNMENT!
They can’t get everything!
WHILE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO FLOOD CALIFORNIA FOR THEIR RIGHT TO PEACABLY SMOKE, THE DEFICIT IN THAT STATE CONTINUES TO GROW. MAYBE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY SHOULD FOLLOW SUIT AND DECRIM/LEGALIZE THIS MEDICINE IN ORDER TO KEEP CALIFORNIA FROM COLLAPSING FROM THE OVERCROWDING BURDEN. ON THE OTHER HAND, CALIFORNIA will BE THE FIRST STATE TO LEGALIZE. BUT THIS CLOUDS THE BIGGER PICTURE. WE ELECTED FOR CHANGE AND WANT TO SEE FREEDOM BECOME A REALITY WITH REGARDS TO OUR PERSONAL NONVIOLENT HEALTHCARE DECISIONS. MARIJUANA IS MEDICINE, ALBEIT AN OFTEN ABUSED MEDICINE. WE NEED TO GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT. EDUCATE NOT ERADICATE. LET PEOPLE MAKE TRULY INFORMED DECISIONS AND STOP THE INSANITY OF THIS WAR ON HUMAN RIGHTS. SAVE CALIFORNIA FROM THE NEXT GREAT MIGRATION, LET PEOPLE LIVE FREE WHERE THEY ARE: LEGALIZE.
“Look, the people you are after are the people you depend on. We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep. Do not… fuck with us. ”
-Tyler Durden
Truth Will Prevail!!!
Im just sooooo…. happy. Its like we can see the light at the end of a tunnel. Calf. lead the way ….I hope that the IRRESPONSABLE partakers dont go getting themself on tv doing something stupid. How this goes in Calf. has alot to do with the rest of the states opinion… and I am sure that all the states are watching…
This just in from DemocracyNow.org
it is off topic but should be of interest to anyone who is fed up with the waste of our tax dollars to continue this idiotic failure, the war on [some] drugs!
…”Obama Seeks $46 Million for Military Base in Colombia
President Obama is seeking $46 million to establish a new military facility in Colombia. The funding request has been opposed by several advocacy groups. John Lindsay-Poland of the Fellowship of Reconciliation said, “This base would feed a failed drug policy, support an abusive army, and reinforce a tragic history of US military intervention in the region.” The Pentagon has been looking for a new site in Latin America ever since Ecuador notified Washington last year that it would not renew the lease on the US base in Manta, Ecuador.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/5/19/headlines#4
Also,
Allison Kilkenny has a great blog out at HuffPo. and could use input.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-kilkenny/cops-say-to-legalize-drug_b_205112.html
Holy hell people. we all are very aware that our government is more master than public servant. the question is are we gona jus sit bak all the freakin time writin comments on normls site. this shit goes way beyond the debate of legal pot. it all boils down to our once limited government somehow evolving into gaurdians and slavemasters of the highest degree. we aint free. we are ALLOWED limited choices to keep us semi complacent. well im from the very facist western half of kansas. and im telin all of you we need to rise up and yell so loud that they cant ignore us or take the next two decades to get our freedoms back. vinividivici
Saw a great article on the subject today: http://thestimulist.com/marijuana-legalization/. It could happen.
The law is the law.
http://iblowminds.com/
Wut?? Pot is illegal? Tell me it aint so!
RT
http://www.privacy-center.de.tc
How will this effect Marijuana being a schedule 1 drug? Can the status of marijuana be challanged in federal court referencing this decision? Any lawyers out there?
Officials who swear to uphold the laws of the State and then violate those oaths should be prosecuted for same, thrown out of office and their pensions annulled and returned to the taxpayers.
The answer to getting marijuana fully legalized lie within our getting involved and writing to our congressmen and senators.We must tell them constantly,over and over again to get the laws changed.Now we have the momentum and the backing of the citizens to bring this about,but it must be done quickly while it’s on the publics mind.There are damn few families in this country that have not been affected in one way or the other by the “drug war”.The cost of incareration alone is staggering,at the expense of many programs including the public schools.Act now brothers and sisters…..act now.
Let’s not forget how much progress has been made in America for the past year. I agree that passing bills is great in any form with a future improvement clause to protect many additional patients. But at the same time I believe future States to approve marijuana programs should take note and not make the same mistakes in succession.
A politician of high intelligence could save the United States a lot of money in the future by simply passing bills that are as they should be intended, to save lives without obstruction.
Saving lives, end of discussion.
The problem with San Diego politics extends far beyond the reaches of medical marijuana into things that pale in any comparison of severity. The government officials in San Diego truly believe that they are the bees knees and no one else knows anything about anything or what may or may not be good for San Diego. I can’t really discuss details – you’ll have to take my word for it – but things that you would say are ridiculous are SOP for San Diego. Something that ends with -trans (SD branch) is a great example of this.
Lets be honest… You all smoked pot before there was anything called medical marijuana… IF you ask me, ive watched friends get so high they might as well be a freaking paraplegic, back pain my ass, sleeping disorder my ass. I digress. As for the legality of State law vs Federal law. I agree with the legal side of this. If its a state law about ANYTHING not just Marijuana, its to be followed by the the counties that reside in that state.
I think it is great that we are being blunt and pushing people back to see the point that marijuana has never killed anyone. when everything eles has.. just think about people…
This is awesome, the dominos are falling. With the economic collapse states are finding it hard to meet their budgets. Many are seeing they can’t keep supporting a law that is un enforcable in trems of ridding cannibis from the world. Of course the stanch drug warriors will insist on getting the taxes to enforce prohibition. They will do this in the face of schools loosing funds to teach kids. So who’s hurting the kids now? Question : Are they using the tax dollars to fight a war on drugs or are some of these funds being shifted to the wars across the world? Its time to stop playing these money and power games at the expense of the people of the united states of america. Time to take care of our borders and US!!
I think it’s time to organize a movement of cannabis smokers to go to Richard Nixon’s grave and piss on it. After all, he’s the one who threw out the recommendation of his own commission to legalise. If enough people go and piss on Nixon’e grave, they’ll (law enforcement) have to invest a lot of money to protect it – perhaps with a barbed wire fence. How appropo……………
Will someone please start a class action suit against those guys. I would be happy to donate $ to the effort. Now let us keep our heads on straight and get down to business on this issue. What we need is a march on the county hall of each of these government offices and make them pay. I advise all of you whom want to keep this thing going in the right direction to become politically active on this subject. Go to the criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/national_vote_on_legalization_of_cannabis
and get your voice counted. We are serious about this thing.
THIS IS ONLY A TEMPARY VICTORY. If another state takes it there and wins for our side then we have reason to celebrate. this still allows the feds to raid and what not.
Time to make an example of Nixon. His total disregard of the report the commission (WHICH HE HIRED!!) is tantamount to treason. His grave should be pissed on.
The laws against marijuana will eventually be repealed. The uprising since the inception of the internet, when the ability to learn absolutely everything you wanted to know about anything became easy as point-type-and-click,has been phenomenal. These guys are literally just flailing their arms in what seem a bitter attempt at keeping control as they used to. Unfortunately change to these individuals who run this Government, is something that they obviously cannot adjust easily to.
Unfortunately for them, this is no longer a country run on their term. This article is a great example of that fact. We cannot be stopped anymore people. Far too many of us now know all of the dirty details about each and everyone of these crooks. The sheeple will follow us into “battle” as soon as we rise up, and set a better example then the other guy. It’s all a matter of sheep herding to these people, and one thing i’ve noticed, sheep hate being called sheep. The Big Brother Sheep Herding manipulation is no longer a conspiracy, as it has grown to paramount proportions, and now all we need to do is connect the dots for some people. It’s pretty interesting to me to see that even though the 2012 “myths” seem to be ignored for the most part by most, they prophecies are coming true in perfect timing. By 2012, we shall see major changes. Post-2012 should see even greater changes. In fact by 2017, when this Stellar Activation Cycle completes, the entire world will be transformed into in a sense, a new world.
The New World Order is coming no matter what, and it will not stop for anything or anyone. A new world movement is not nesseccarily a bad thing, we just need to make sure it is on OUR terms, and not “theirs.”
The real question is then, What exactly is it that we want out of this?
congrats. when i’m off parole for marijuana i’ll light one up for you guys!
There are 2 petitions so far going on to help end marijuana prohibition . I have listed both here:
http://www.enddrugprohibition.com/
and
criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/national_vote_on_legalization_of_cannabis
http://www.criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/national_vote_on_legalization_of_cannabis
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=71554350&blogId=490015689
Jessie Vetura another vocal supporter of ending the war on US (drugs)
Thanks for the help and support Jessie..
Thanks for posting that Jeremy.
I have something to say to any drug warrior or politican that may read these blogs.
I have smoked cannibis on an off since highschool years ago. Even then I didn’t agree with prohibition of cannibis and I didn’t need anyone to tell me what the truth was…even then. I really didn’t start being active in this til recently. I have seen the lies of our government and what YOU have done to this counrty with out the approval of me and all the voices you see here and on many ,many other web sites on many ,many subjects .
I have lost a very good job (55kyr)because of YOUR bullshit. I lost 40k in retirement. YOU have forced me to pay attention to what YOU and YOURS are doing. IT pisses me off what YOU do. It pisses me off because YOU have forced me to pay attention to politcs…I HATE politics. YOU have arrested people I know And ruined their lives. Productive good people YOU should have left alone. All that you see here is YOUR fault. YOU caused this because YOU abuse US. Now ..repent and set it right or…YOUR sins will catch up to YOU and YOURS. Stop taking the KINGS coin and doing the KINGS bidding before its too late for ALL of us.
Check these guys out… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45FZfCDQWas&feature=related
Are you kidding me? Medical marijuana is ‘the law?’
I think not. Gonzales v. Raich? Anyone Anyone?
That’s the case that the Supreme Court held that the federal government CAN regulate marijuana and that federal laws DO trump state medical marijuana laws.
It didn’t hear this case, probably, because it seems to deal with the same anti-commandeering and state functions arguments that have been heard 1000 times. I mean, not being from CA, I’m not up on it… but to claim that the idea ‘federal law trumps state medical marijuana laws has no legal merit’ is completely false and misleading. Actually, it’s just a lie. period.
Please refer to the constitution and the long list of federal cases dealing with state powers that any first-year law student would know by heart before blogging falsehoods on your purportedly law-focused blog.
[Editor: This is not a law-focused blog and the case at hand, from San Diego, does in fact establish that California’s medical cannabis laws, and by extension the other 49 states, can exist in parallel with an at times adversarial federal system. Had SCOTUS taken the case, it would have been an indication of its want to limit or retard patient protections at the state level. Their rejection of San Diego’s, et al pleading bodes well for medical cannabis and personal freedom.]
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
Mohandas Gandhi
Just keep fighting to get the law changed federally. That will be a real victory.
WOW you guys are lucky at least you have an oppertunity to get marijuana cards in my state you go to jail for a stem on your floor board
I’m an MMJ patient and living in SB county, I have to drive 90 miles to L.A. just to get medicine. That isn’t what America is about…America is about walking around the corner to your local dispensary to get your meds whenever you need them. Not whenever you have enough gas to get there. Inspired by this, I think you will see more dispensaries opening up soon in both, San Diego and San Bernardino counties. This is a landmark event in the push towards legalization. Keep pushing!
This is nice to hear, as was Iowa’s gay marriage decision. However I feel that this is just a drop in the bucket against a roaring tide of stupidity and greed. Did you know that the senate is holding a closed door hearing today about possibly raising taxes on SWEETENED SODA? They won’t consider regulating and taxing Cannabis but they will resort to raising taxes on soda. Ridiculous. The reason cited was to cut down on obesity and aid in rising healthcare costs to compensate for Obama’s new health coverage plans. Gee, you don’t think alcohol might be causing a bit of a Healthcare issue? DUI, addiction, DEATH. Tobacco kill anyone lately? When will this feigning of ignorance end? Cannabis IS medicine. Cannabis IS relief from depression, anorexia, pain, violent tendencies, nausea, headache etc. Cannabis is a subtance of terminus meaning it could be used to treat addiction to harder substances, alcohol, pornography, and yes, overeating (if used properly in a setting where one;s attention is directed towards another form of stimulus like art, video games, reading.)But no, we would rather tax a can of pepsi. WAKE UP!!!!! I know I’m ranting but honestly, the government is PAYING people to sit in prison cells. Someone rapes a baby and gets paid $30,000 a year (more than I make as a manager in a fast food restaraunt) through water and electric bills and food costs, clothes and whatnot. The government pays these people and the individuals who guard them and the people who run the prisons. All this extra money is coming out of their pockets to fund a war that doesn’t work. How do they justify this? How in their greediness do they not see that you can’t make money by spending money? YOU’RE JUST SPENDING MONEY!!!!this is not money on a loop and no, you’re not a bunch of Edina Monsoons.By the way, that’s money we DON’T have. While they waste their time on propaganda and faulty logic and antiquated rhetoric, they could be making money directly from taxes placed on legal Cannabis. No middle man, just an I.V of dollars straight into thier money grubbing veins. This is too far. The government is overstepping it’s authority more and more with each passing day. Every day that we don’t take action, speak out and just roll over for it is another day we let the constitution be used as toilet paper. We are being strangled and controlled. We are no longer pursuing our dreams, we are ensuring theirs. When did we give the fed’s permission to select our diet and our daily routine? I was born here and nobody gave me a piece of paper when I was fresh out of the womb that read “Welcome to America, you can forget about all that freedom bologna and get used to being our slave ’till you die. Have fun with minimum wage and being beat over the head with restrictive conservative pablum. Thanks a bunch!” Where was I given an option? Who asked my opinion? No one, that’s who and my tax dollars go to fund programs designed to lock me up, fine me, paint me as the scum of society, deny me equal rights and then stick a hose up my bum to suck out everything positive I might have gained from drawing breath on any given day. Hands down, we need new politicians, new government, new attitudes. we need to dust off the ol’ constitution and make it REQUIRED reading. We need to burn these leeches off and start healing our nation before we end up just one massive prison camp.I don’t want my children having to hate where they live. I want my grandchildren to love this land. I sick of being suckered! THIS IS NOT HOW IT SHOULD HAVE TO BE!!!
-phew-
I apologize for this rant. But geez, wake up people.
OMG, so this is the local alternative pro-pot paper in KC. That decided to change 🙁 we are screwed
http://blogs.pitch.com/fatcity/2009/05/marijuana_potency_at_three_yea.php
R.O.E. IM with you. I lost a job as well to my illness and the fact I can’t control my pain. I was an administrative assistant to a Dean at a college. My doctors refusal to treat my Fibromyagia, Chronic Pain Syndrome has forced me to find alternative treatments. When you do alternative treatments chances are you get in trouble for doing so. This is the vicious cycle I am in.
You have to fight for your disability, you have to fight for your rights and they have caused me to start in with this fight and stop this war on people. War on Drugs is just an excuse.
its about time now the supreme court is in on it victory is within our grassp haha see i made a funny. but seriously we are in the home stretch to freedom and it wont be long till we have it
you have to scare normal people who dont smoke pot to not smoke pot(we need china laws you dummys). It’s all about not being an addict.
Tony Says:
May 19th, 2009 at 8:01 am
How can the Govt keep marijuana scheduled the way it is and not be prosecuted if they are saying it has no medicinal properties and are keeping it scheduled as it is
THERE IS SUCH A THING IN THE U.S.GOVERNMENT THAT IS CALLED THE “DATA QUALITY ACT” here is a link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Quality_Act
THE GODDAMN GOVERNMENT DOESN’T EVEN PLAY BY THEIR OWN RULES….
Hey: I like the tennis analogy! How about: “Toke & stroke”?
Darryl H wrote: “Why the disparity from state to state?”. Really, did you ever pay attention in social studies?! That concept the the foundation of the how the american government works. In fact, a lot of federal laws, like those governing drugs, are unconstitutional. The founding fathers believed that the state governments should be allowed to do whats right on a local level and it was the federal governments job to handle anything that was outside a state bounds, such as how a state interacts with other states. If we just had federal laws, lawmakers from rhode island would be able to create laws that must be upheld in every state. What if a texas lawmaker got a law passed that you couldn’t run your engine in your driveway? No problem for sunny, hot texas, but the people in maine that wake up to below freezing temperatures would be breaking the law by using remote start and allowing their cars to warm up. In short, DUH.
On topic, this is great news. Maybe it’s a sign that the federal government will stop stepping into state territory where it doesn’t belong.
“Like I have said before. WE are the one’s that truly rule and if you don’t like it then you can always move. Hopefully to the Bermuda Triangle, and be lost to the rest of the sensible world. federal law only applies when the fed has authority appointed to it. State law supersedes federal law….Check you local constitution, This important document say’s this in plain English. PEACE… AL”
I would be interested in reading this interesting fact, where might I find this information. If this was the case, then why are so many legal grow operations being raided by the federally funded DEA? My friends were raided twice and inprisoned even though they had a doctors receomendation. Ca. law did’t protect them as well as many others.
States Rights(the 10th amendment to the constitution) needs to be set back to its intended purpose.
So you guys have to start voting in people who will actually make change happen like Ron Paul. Hopefully you also realized the mistake in voting in a sell out socialist… If not you will.
anyone happen to see fbi director robert mueller get owned by rep. steve cohen on the subject of marijuana today? can see a clip of it here
http://www.cnn.com/video/
would like to know what else was said, but have yet to see any real coverage of this.
Sounds like some people just don’t know when to quit… I’m glad medical marijuana is still growing strong in Cali!
“They probably started on milk, then went to beer…” LMAO!
Do we have any statistics majors?
Why have we never heard of any high ranking official or their children being jailed on drug charges?
From what I recall about statistics this fact is not reality. Are our lawmakers above the laws they dictate that we must live by? I know if their kids were being thrown in jail for years. Because they were smoking weed things would change. But they defy the laws of statistics stating in any given group you will have so many that use, abuse and enjoy drugs. I guess they just don’t go to jail and get a record that will haunt them the rest of their life. Like our President if you go to an ivy league school not many swat teams assault your privacy the way they do in the hood!!!! End the tyranny called the war on drugs (US)..
CFJ
#91 Bakedgoods Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
“…If this was the case, then why are so many
legal grow operations being raided by the federally funded DEA?…”
RE:
Bakedgoods,
Despite what the Constitution says…
(In plain-English),
there are still local
S.W.I.N.E.
addicted to Byrne-grant money,
and Dead End Atrocities agents
who enjoy having a License-To-Steal™
Just watched that video, looks like mueller got his ass kicked from what it shows.
🙂
@92 Kyle;
Whether or not Obama is whatever you think he is (I don’t like him either) that doesn’t make Ron Paul the holy grail of all things. On the contrary, most of what Ron Paul says I do not agree with, starting with health care and going right down the line. He’s off base on every single one of them and so are you.
Good Video #93 Looks Like were gettin closer n closer to full legalization
Interestingly enough, California voters rejected the budget in the last Special Election vote. Now the Governator is talking about making severe cuts to education and health care. Why not legalize it instead and start collecting on the lucrative cannabis industry instead of putting more people in jail?
The answer is simple, LEGALIZE IT!
re bakedgoods #91 – Al’s analysis was slightly simplistic, but he nailed the spirit of our Constitution. In areas where jurisdiction is specifically allocated to the states, state law supersedes federal law – ie, states lay property taxes and the feds can’t say shit about it cause it’s a local tax which states are explicitly allowed to levy. In areas specifically allocated to the feds, federal law trumps state law – ie, the feds can regulate interstate trade and print money, states can’t. Some powers are exercised concurrently – ie, both federal and state gov’ts have the power to levy taxes, which is why we are taxed five times on every dollar we earn – however, each levies its own tax the other can’t screw with. The 10th Amendment everybody’s on about here states that all powers not specifically allocated to the feds by the constitution are the province of the states – in other words, unless the constitution explicitly grants a power to the feds, state law in that area should trump federal. The federal gov’t has two main justifications for their overbearing cannabis laws. Their first justification is that they have the power to regulate interstate trade, which is a legitimate contention. If cannabis were a legal market, the feds would have the right to regulate the flow of cannabis from, say, Juarez to New York City. This is where we should be waging our fight – the feds have no constitutional power to regulate trade contained within a state. If states write laws which do their best to ensure that the entire industry for that state, from seed to bowl, is contained within the state, the feds should have no right to interfere, at least based on the right to regulate interstate commerce. The feds’ other justification is based on the promotion of the public good clause, which gives Congress an overly broad power to act in the public interest. Of course, they left determination of what is the public interest up to Congress. This is why they keep spouting bullshit like, “think of the children” or “this ain’t your grandad’s pot, this shit’ll kill ya!”. If they keep spouting this crap, no matter how fake it is, they can claim to be working in the public interest and, when we finally win out and write rational laws, they will be able to say they acted in good faith that the laws were proper when they persecuted us, so they won’t be eligible for charges. Of course, this can be fixed through state regulation too; if states write laws which contain the industry within the state, and further the public interest of that states citizens better than current federal law, the feds should have no right to intervene. This is the most promising part of the Court’s refusal to hear this case; they’re starting to reassert state’s rights. Technically, this case only means that state laws should be considered valid as far as counties and municipalities are concerned – it doesn’t touch on the state federal issue. However, if the Court really wanted to reinforce the dominance of federal law, it would have taken the case and allowed the counties to buck laws which were invalid. The fact that they told the counties to suck it up says the laws are at least somewhat valid. Given this decision, it seems to me that, if the Court is presented with a state with a comprehensive regulatory system supported by the majority of voters in the state, they may side with the states over the feds.
re r #87 – did your mother throw you down the stairs at birth or something? You constantly spew asinine comments that contribute nothing to the conversation, is the only reason i’m asking. What do you mean ‘we need china laws’? Cannabis may be illegal in China, but it isn’t eradicated – cannabis actually grows wild all over China. People in China use it like everywhere else. Or were you referring to the Chinese gov’ts predilection for cracking your skull if you’re a democracy supporter and throwing you in jail? As far as your comment about not being an addict – as anybody who has struggled with addiction issues will tell you, addiction extends far beyond drug use. For example, emotional addictions, or what the naive quaintly refer to as ‘love’, cause more deaths per year than illegal drugs. Maybe we should outlaw all personal relationships since they can lead to emotions which can lead to murder. Addiction and the potential for addiction are simply an innate part of the human existence: the best anybody can hope to do is come to terms with their own demons and try not to let them harm themselves or those they love. Throwing on the jackboots, stomping necks and throwing addicts in jail doesn’t do a lick of good. So r, next time you think you might speak, think twice. And then build a dam in front of that river of verbal diarrhea you have going there.
I Imagine in my dreams Politician’s taking the High road and legalizing Marijuana and unclogging the Prisons of non violent Drug offenders and wiping their records clean. Just doing this will create jobs. America can be rebuilt and we have the Manpower and American People to get this done. We can become a major distributor of Marijuana to the rest of the World, truthfully spreading peace and not death. Why is it so hard to imagine our Country taking a different track, becoming famous for doing a great thing. Look at Coffee and imagine the possibilities. I think all Politicians that are Prohibitionists should as a requirement of holding office should be made to either smoke a joint or eat a brownie and then they will know what type of people they represent. Happy Peaceful People who want to live, Laugh and Love others. I hope this gives you a good feeling today. I want to know that my country can be great again. It does not lack great People, only great Politicians. God bless you all.
Dont mean to break change the subject.. but CNN is asking for our comments.. I think a few Thousand comments or more should be given…!!
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/20/video-fbi-defends-marijuana-laws/#addcomment
God damn newspapers and their puns.
We’re making progress . Just think how horrible things were under , George Bush .
Be thankful for that .
what is really stupid is there are countries out there that decriminalized if not that has marijuana legal and taxed yet we the USA does not have marijuana at least decriminalized if not legalized and taxed Yet this is suppose to be “Land of the free” and “we the people”. This being said then why should the gov. say ” we are not at war with the people.” If they are not listening to us THE PEOPLE and are keeping marijuana illegal arresting the people is not that a war on the people? “WE ARE NOT AT WAR WITH THE PEOPLE” Yea right if they are not then they should listen to us THE PEOPLE and legalize and tax marijuana instead of lieing and keeping it illegal the time to legalize marijuana is now yet they are not listening to us. We make a good point that the legalization and taxation of marijuana will produce $10 – $14 Billion annually which can be used for good like hurting the cartel where it hurts them the most and that is in the pocket as well as can be used towards medical and education to name just a few. Our Our drug laws aren’t working. Every year, millions of Americans are arrested on drug offenses, yet drugs are more available than ever before. High school students find it easier to get marijuana than alcohol or prescription drugs. And Mexican drug cartels have become rich and powerful, representing a growing threat to our national security.
With our economy struggling, we can’t afford to waste billions of dollars every year on a policy that has failed. There’s only one way to eliminate the drug cartels’ profits and effectively deal with drug abuse as a public health issue.
I feel we should prosecute our sworn representatives. They are committing a crime Wathe American people. Enslaving us sacrificed for corporate greed.
Check our this site and see how many of your elected officials take millions from corporations that profit from the war on drugs (US)….
http://www.opensecrets.org/
Washington DC is the only place on earth where bribery is considered legal. We need to take our country back and end the tyranny!!
CFJ
The legalization of marijuana would completely fix the economy. It is easier to grow than tobacco so if it is sold in 20 packs like cigarettes, you could put a $25 tax on it and it would be cheaper than black market prices. The tax would get rid of the deficit. With the deficit gone, the dollar becomes much stronger which means the cost of foreign goods (gas, cars, electronics) would come way down. Cost of policing marijuana goes away and the police can go after real criminals. Regardless of marijuana being legalized in all states or not, people still manage to find marijuana to smoke. Personally, if it was legalized i believe it would do wonders to the world. I believe we would see the world as a better view. We would have happier people and more friendly people and I think it would bring a little more joy that people didn’t know they had. Another reason is if it was to be legalized people wouldn’t abuse marijuana because it would be legal. People abuse marijuana illegally more than legally. Plus, if it was to get legalized, those who illegally smoke it more likely wouldn’t use as much if it was legalized. I don’t believe legalizing marijuana would harm many people. I think it would be a good idea actually. i think the effort to keep marijuana illegal is obsurd. Marijuana has been a part of life long before we were even an idea. Its natural and unexcepted…why because it fits the basic definition of a narcotic the twist is…its completely harmless. Smoking a joint is like smoking a cigarette when you are having a crappy day and you smoke that first cigarrtte you feel great…take that nicotine buzz and amplify it by about 10 each time you take a hit…nicotine levels you out…marijuana..thc…chills you out…you dont want to kill…or steal, or rape, or anything…you want to relax, eat and then sleep.
Plus there are more important things that our country needs to concern themselves with. When terrorists have guns pointed at our head…we are more concerned about the mesquito bite on our ass…thats how dumb it is…just legalize it..put a tax on it…and get over it. We have bigger problems to deal with.This is the time for all legalization proponents to put on an all out blitz on legislators and politicians. Due to the current economic crisis, governments at all levels, federal, state and local, are running out of money. It is impossible to rationally justify the billions we are continually spending on failed attempts to enforce marijuana prohibition. We must send a strong message to the politicians that the people will no longer tolerate tax dollars being wasted on this nonsense, and that governments must now move to regulation and taxation.Let’s not forget the market for hemp related products. Hemp is a viable crop and its fiber has a large number of commercial uses, from clothing to paper. Not only can we save trees, which should be an easy sale to the eco friendly, but it can be a boon to farmers as a cash crop. From what I’ve read, even hemp seeds are rich in nutrients. It’s such a shame that so many people have bought into the propaganda and lies that our government has tried to pass for fact for so long.Mairjuana should be legal for everyone, mainly for recreational use. But also for medical use. When people have cancer or any other main health problems they do not want morphine or these other dangerous legal drugs! They want to be able to smoke weed! Weed has many more benefits than these other drugs to and our government should give the people what they want!
I think this matter will be an on going process that will last for a longer time than needed. I think everyone should realize the facts and not just make assumptions.
Looks like muellur pulld a Dobbs didnt kno wht to say
SCOTUS, we hardly knew ye! By allowing this law to stand I can see the day they legalize, and they want to. . .remember. . .
A few years ago someone sued, and the court ruled that the person had “no standing”, strongly hinting that they would allow someone with standing to come before them. Far as I know, that case was not brought up through the system again.
That Scalia guy, he looks like a closet smoker to me anyway. He has too much fun for what he does to not have played the green.
Please stop the prohibition of the Cannabis plant. Stop the lies and the continuing propaganda about Cannabis being harmful. The war on this incredibly useful plant is really just a war on the American citizens. The government has been/is at war with its citizens, carried out through the fear of the “war on drugs” The prohibition of the Cannabis plant is very profitable for certain prohibitionists, so they must maintain their agenda, even as the lies are being exposed. The word “tyranny” comes to mind. Government Tyranny! Wake up people! If you have knowledge/experience with Cannabis, it’s so easy to see through the prohibitionists’ lies and agendas. So why should we put our faith and trust in the other things the government is doing that we haven’t any personal experience with. Like where did all that bailout money go…and come on, Bin Laden is hiding out in a cave…and the recent finding of “thermite” at the world trade center…yea right, like the jet fuel caused those buildings to come down, especially the third building that collapsed without even being struck by a plane. We all need to pay attention to the propaganda of fear which is being thrown at us. Don’t just rely on these corporate wall street TV news shows for your information. Alternative media, reading and research on your own will help. Time to delve between the lines; sometimes the truth is very hard to find.
It is enlightening to think that these guys in San Diego accomplished more for the Cause by fighting the system for three years, than Prof. Craker did by complying with the system for eight years.
alaska was the 1rst to decriminlize marijuana back in the late 1970’s before there was any rhetoric for medical marijuana. i am bling from glaucoma and smoked marijuana as medicine and pleasure. the fed’s blackmailed alaska, to with federal monies unless alaska recriminalizws the states of alaska’s laws regarding. alaska changed the law, california passed prop 215 as dis alaska pass medical marijuana laws and other states. new hampshire where i live now passed hb648 and awaits signing by the gov. lynch and amendments to the bill regarding distribution and 6 plants that can be grown by the patiant. the us supreme court in the recent ruling about 2 counties not abiding to prop 215, the court set no precedent here, the court refused the case to be heard. the 10th amendment has no bearing in the matter, those pro and con try this arguement, no victories or defeatss made, as some think, just smoke and mirrors used on both sides. this federal government is still raping, murdering and pillaging the land the people. to be safe and secure in residence and to have the pursuit of liberty and not be unduelly taxed without representation and to have the luxury of inalienable rights for all given by yawveh. america is not free anymore ever since the movement of progressive federalism and social enginnering which started over 100 years ago, narcotics were legal and marijuana had no criminal penalties. today under the monkey obama and his clan terrorists have more rights given to them than a naturalized citizen. the wrongs and injustices past and present make no difference to truth, live free or die. i will bear my arms,drink, smoke, grow pay my taxes, it is not the right or job to govern my own affairs. i risk death and disease and improsionment everyday , so to beat a drum and live in fantasy land that government will mandate laws and monies for my livlihood i choose not, rebublican, democrat.independent,jew,christian,islam,americanm,communist, socialist etc these are not lord over me , only the freedom of being in bonds to the truth. so hokus and pokus peace love and drugs is a lie. synthetic drugs arec a lie. live free or die the government owes me nothing. see the big picture and grow up and be mature in battle and do not be little children wisps away with every wind of false doctrine emotionally charged only making a noise and changing nothing. what yawveh has created let no no man destroy, smoking marijuan is a luxury and is not some peace song to change the politicians,corruptors and terrorists in the land and abroad. talk of peace only brings destruction.
i think very strongly that cannibus should be legal in all 50 states
i think marijuana should be legalized in all 50 states crime would drop drastically. please send me information and also on medical use for cronic pain.
can a place you interview for a job tell your current job you refused drug test because you have a liscence to smoke
This is a solid victory for the Marijuana Lobby, and such victories will help to pave the way to decriminalization and legalization. The momentum of the prohibition continues to baffle me. How is it that a country full of citizens who warship alcohol were hoodwinked into believing that marijuana should be illegal? The trouble is, we have too many politicians legislating morality, and not enough legislating rationality.
can you grow medical marijuana if your not a patient
Paul Armentano Ladies and Gentlemen…
I attended Oaksterdam University over the weekend, and Paul Armentano was one of our instructors….Absolutely amazing. This man is extremely smart, and definitely knows what he’s talking about. Thank you so much Paul…you changed my life!!
with all the state budget cuts, maybe if the cost of prosecuting people who are following the state laws was coming out of the DAs paychecks, they’d get the mess. after all they expect us to pay to fight for our legal rights.
Medical marijuana ftw!
My father was born in 1903. When i was 15 years old he told me of marijuana. There was a big bust in town and I asked him about the stuff and his words were, the only thing wrong with it is it is illegal. He also told me what pot wos thought of when he was a kid. And you know what, No one paid mush attention to it and and didnt see must difference in the people that smoked it. They were only normal like everyone else. He also said when he was in the U.S Navy, they would pass through the panamal canal they would smoke it and the officers didnt care and no one thought much about it.
I’m doing a speech for school about medical marijuana. I know it’s legal in several states. What I don’t know is how well these programs are working out. I’m hoping to find the most successful examples of medical marijuana use. My goal is to find the best way to implement such a program in my state, Arkansas, where it is illegal to use marijuana for any reason. I’d like to hear about problems that have come up and what was done to correct them. I am a member of a group of 5 people doing the speech, which is pro legalization of medical marijuana. My portion is ‘visualization’, where I must speak for about 5 minutes about what it would be like if medical marijuana use were legalized in Arkansas.
what id like to know is how individual counties can put restrictions on state law.