Cannabis News DrugSense
  Which Federal Laws Do We Enforce?
Posted by CN Staff on October 03, 2006 at 09:49:32 PT
By Phil Strickland - For The Californian  
Source: North County Times  

medical California -- We've been saved from ourselves. Oh, thank you, thank you and thank you.

Imagine, if it weren't for our county Board of Supervisors, the terminally ill would be getting stoned and enjoying some level of comfort rather than pumping money into pharmaceutical companies for drugs that do little to relieve their agony.

Good thing we have elected officials willing to ignore a state law that came about because a majority of voters wanted it. After all, what the heck do voters know? Just a bunch of lemmings rushing headlong to the precipice of drug abuse.

And, while the supervisors are busy bowing to the Riverside County district attorney's desire and denying the public its will, they need to do something about those planning commissioners who recommended that marijuana dispensaries and cooperatives be allowed to operate in some unincorporated areas. The commission must be overrun by drug fiends.

The D.A. cites public safety as one reason for not allowing the ill to have access to medical marijuana when prescribed by physicians.

You no doubt are aware of the outbreak of lawlessness wherever dispensaries and cooperatives have been allowed to operate. You are aware, right? Right.

The other argument for wasting taxpayer money, keeping government lawyers busy and helping to clog the court system, is that federal law forbids the possession, use and sale of marijuana.

Rather than waste our money up front, our overprotective big brothers could follow the voters' will and wait for the federal government to act. Then, if they really wanted to be weenies, they could fold and come running back to their constituents crying, "The feds are coming; the feds are coming."

Or, if they cared about the state's sovereignty and the welfare of its ill, they could battle for the right of its voters to approve benign acts of kindness and caring: "We feel your pain."

But wait, there's more. The act by Riverside, San Diego and San Bernardino counties of going to court to protect its citizens is hypocritical, particularly if they use federal law as the excuse.

Let's get this right. The rule is federal law trumps state law and, by extension, local law.

OK, perhaps it's time to expand the discussion of state and local law vs. federal law to include sanctuary cities. Same thing, right? A law is a law and is to be enforced equally for all. Right?

This brave and forward-thinking action undertaken by these three counties can only presage action here and elsewhere to punish officials and employers who refuse to abide by federal law as it applies to illegal immigration.

No doubt, local officials will pursue this flagrant violation of the law of the land every bit as aggressively and with as much passion as they do when it comes to the medical marijuana scourge.

Surely, our very sick and dying will see the honor in being martyrs to the cause of protecting our way of life from the influx of people who do not even pretend to care about our laws. People who, in fact, believe our laws don't apply to them.

Could it be that those who would benefit greatly from a toke will be the fallen heroes in our battle against one of the most pressing and dangerous problems facing our country?

After all, federal law does trump state and local law, right?

Thought so.

-- Phil Strickland is a regular columnist for The Californian.

Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA)
Author: Phil Strickland - For The Californian
Published: Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Copyright: 2006 North County Times
Contact: letters@nctimes.com
Website: http://www.nctimes.com

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Comment #1 posted by BobbyRa on October 03, 2006 at 15:41:23 PT
Very well said
politicians would rather line their pockets with money from the pharm companies than listen to the people. this disgusts and crushes me to no end.

let freedom ring?

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