The South Dakota Department of Public Safety issued guidelines today for law enforcement requiring them to cease arresting those persons who identify as patients and meet certain qualifications.
Under the law, which took effect upon signing, qualified patients may now legally possess up to a 90-day supply of cannabis at one time. Patients also now have the ability to consult with authorizing physicians via video conferencing and may obtain cannabis from dispensaries via curbside pick-up.
“With these actions by the Court, the United States has become an island of federal marijuana prohibition in North America,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote: “If the Government is now content to allow States to act ‘as laboratories’ ‘and try novel social and economic experiments,’ then it might no longer have authority to intrude on ‘[t]he States’ core police powers . . . to define criminal law and to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens.’ A prohibition on intrastate use or cultivation of marijuana may no longer be necessary or proper to support the Federal Government’s piecemeal approach.”
This week marks another critical mile-marker on the road to ending marijuana prohibition in the…
The circuit court’s ruling striking down the law remains in effect until the Supreme Court either upholds or reverses the lower court’s decision.
Welcome to the latest edition of NORML’s Weekly Legislative Roundup!
The measure, which NORML opposed, was backed by a number of anti-cannabis organizations, including those opposed to the use of herbal cannabis as a therapeutic treatment in all situations.