Cannabis News Media Awareness Project
  Hazy Marijuana Laws
Posted by CN Staff on April 05, 2012 at 08:05:51 PT
Editorial 
Source: Los Angeles Times  

medical California -- Richard Lee has been one of the state's most visible activists for liberalized marijuana laws, having spent $1.5 million of his own money supporting an ill-fated ballot initiative in 2010 to decriminalize recreational use. But Lee is also an entrepreneur in the legally cloudy arena of medical marijuana, and on Monday the Internal Revenue Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration raided his home and his hemp-related ventures, including Oaksterdam University, a trade school focused on the marijuana industry.

The feds haven't disclosed what they were looking for, other than to say the raids grew out of a federal criminal investigation. Nevertheless, Lee's supporters complain that the Obama administration isn't honoring its own policy from 2009, when a top Justice Department official advised U.S. attorneys not to go after "individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana."

That policy doesn't seem to have much sway these days, considering the recent crackdowns by federal authorities on medical marijuana dispensaries in California and Colorado. But even if it were still in effect, the vagueness of state law and conflicting judicial interpretations make it well nigh impossible for anyone in California to be in clear and unambiguous compliance. That's because Proposition 215, the 1996 measure that decriminalized the medicinal use of marijuana, and SB 420, the 2003 law to clarify its provisions, left far too many loose ends.

Foremost among these is the ability of local governments to set their own, specific policies on medical marijuana. Oakland has been a leader in that effort, adopting an ordinance regulating and taxing medical marijuana-related ventures. But a recent California appeals court ruling calls into question any city's ability to set restrictions of any kind on dispensaries. Another ruling held that dispensaries had to grow all their marijuana on site, but cities couldn't ban them. There are also fundamental questions about whether dispensaries can sell their wares, and if so, how much money they can make without violating SB 420's ban on profiting from the sale or distribution of marijuana.

State lawmakers appear to be waiting for the California Supreme Court to resolve the disagreements in the lower courts, which would clear away some of the haze. But regardless of what the justices decide, there will still be major issues to resolve. The Legislature should stop waiting and fill in the many blanks in medical marijuana laws. That won't resolve the basic conflict between state and federal governments regarding marijuana, but at least it will clarify what the state's policy is.

Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Published: April 5, 2012
Copyright: 2012 Los Angeles Times
Contact: letters@latimes.com
Website: http://www.latimes.com/
URL: http://drugsense.org/url/COZPenpf

CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives
http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml


Home    Comment    Email    Register    Recent Comments    Help    Share on Facebook Share on stumbleupon digg it Share on reddit Share on del.icio.us

 
Comment #14 posted by Hope on April 06, 2012 at 20:10:32 PT
The pogram in Austin is really scary...
but I was off topic ....watching a very creepy "Paranormal" show on TV.

I love them. Sometimes... but sometimes they are just way too creepy. They can be really creepy. Sometimes creepier than I expected them to be. I do like to watch them, occasionally, although I feel that too many and too much of them might make me creepy, but so far, I'm good. As far as I know.

:o)

I guess I just didn't want to be alone a few minutes ago.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #13 posted by FoM on April 06, 2012 at 19:36:20 PT
Hope
Do you mean the link you posted? If so they really seem to come down hard in your state. I thought they were liberal in Austin because of their music scene.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #12 posted by FoM on April 06, 2012 at 19:32:56 PT
Hope
What scary show?

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #11 posted by Hope on April 06, 2012 at 19:05:45 PT
Creeped out.
Scary show!

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #10 posted by Hope on April 06, 2012 at 12:06:40 PT
Grits for Breakfast
Marijuana arrests in Austin rose 69% from 2007 to 2010, dropped off with fewer traffic stops

http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2012/04/marijuana-arrests-rose-69-from-2007-to.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #9 posted by FoM on April 06, 2012 at 11:46:16 PT
Greenmed
Thank you. I think the song is great. We have a lot of mowing but it is well worth it to live in the country for us personally. I don't think I could handle living anywhere but the country.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #8 posted by greenmed on April 06, 2012 at 11:13:05 PT
FoM
Sunny is a sweet looking pup. It's great that she has so much space - and other dogs - to run around with on these lovely days! Glad you enjoyed the video, too!

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #7 posted by FoM on April 06, 2012 at 10:40:07 PT
greenmed
I'm glad you liked it too. I never heard the video you posted but it is beautiful. Thank you.

My puppy is named Sunny and here is a picture of her from yesterday enjoying this gorgeous weather.

http://www.greendalerotts.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=152962155

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #6 posted by greenmed on April 06, 2012 at 10:01:56 PT
FoM #4
FoM, that was one of my favorite songs I listened to on my AM portable radio that I would smuggle into school!! Thanks, I hadn't heard it in quite a while.

Joyous Easter weekend and Passover this evening to everybody!

Always the Sun - The Stranglers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um9kd-mhhK4

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #5 posted by Hope on April 06, 2012 at 08:04:24 PT
Comment 2 The GCW
Well said, The GCW.

That guy's letter bothered me,too. But I was just irritated and scornful at his attitude. You said something and got ink, too.

Good job! And thanks.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #4 posted by FoM on April 06, 2012 at 06:27:20 PT
Happy Easter Weekend To Everyone
I love this song.

Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6TFW1F6oY0

http://www.spiritinthesky.com/index.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 06, 2012 at 04:49:02 PT
Activist To Turn Over Marijuana Businesses
Activist To Turn Over Marijuana Businesses After Federal Raid

By John Hoeffel, Los Angeles Times

Friday, April 6, 2012

Los Angeles -- Richard Lee, whose bid to legalize marijuana in California brought him international attention, plans to give up ownership of his Oakland-based marijuana businesses after a federal raid this week seized many of their assets, including plants, bank accounts, records and computers. "I’ve been doing this for a long time. Over 20 years. ... I kind of feel like I’ve done my time," Lee said Thursday. "It’s time for others to take over."

URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/west/view/20120406activist_to_turn_over_marijuana_businesses_after_federal_raid/

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #2 posted by The GCW on April 06, 2012 at 00:07:10 PT
Got Discrimination?
Discrimination is everywere that cannabis prohibition and extermination is.

-0-

US CA: PUB LTE: It's Not Shame In Vallejo It's Simple Discrimination

Pubdate: Wed, 04 Apr 2012 - Source: Times-Herald, The (Vallejo, CA)

Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n199/a01.html

If Pat Nelson ( "Vallejo: City of Shame," March 29 ) didn't harbor feelings of discrimination, "shame" wouldn't be associated with Vallejo. Cannabis ( marijuana ) is far safer than beer or wine -- not to even mention whiskey. Businesses that sell those substances far outnumber dispensaries.

Beer and wine are even sold in grocery stores with minors nearby, for God's sake. Why does a civilized society allow alcohol sales but still prohibit and exterminate the extremely popular and relatively safe plant cannabis?

Discrimination, that's why.

The Green Collar Worker

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n205/a02.html?397

-0-

Cannabis prohibition and extermination is legalized and government subsidized DISCRIMINATION. Plain and simple and out in the open.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #1 posted by dongenero on April 05, 2012 at 19:21:19 PT
Corrupt Minnesota police
Police in Moorhead, Minnesota, will return a $12,000 tip they seized from a struggling local waitress, her attorney said on Thursday.

At first, police said the cash would be hers if it remained unclaimed for 60 days, according to the lawsuit Knutson filed against the department. At the end of the 60 days, however, the department told Knutson she would have to wait another 30 days to get the money. Then police told her she would not receive the money at all because it smelled of marijuana and had been seized under a state law. Police offered Knutson a $1,000 as a reward for turning the cash in. She refused the reward and filed suit.

http://news.yahoo.com/struggling-waitress-keep-12-000-tip-seized-police-201452123.html

[ Post Comment ]


  Post Comment
Name:        Password:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comment:   [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]

Link URL:
Link Title:


Return to Main Menu


So everyone may enjoy this service and to keep it running, here are some guidelines: NO spamming, NO commercial advertising, NO flamming, NO illegal activity, and NO sexually explicit materials. Lastly, we reserve the right to remove any message for any reason!

This web page and related elements are for informative purposes only and thus the use of any of this information is at your risk! We do not own nor are responsible for visitor comments. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 and The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, Article 10, news clippings on this site are made available without profit for research and educational purposes. Any trademarks, trade names, service marks, or service names used on this site are the property of their respective owners. Page updated on April 05, 2012 at 08:05:51