cannabisnews.com: AG May Suspend MMJ Registration in Alaska





AG May Suspend MMJ Registration in Alaska
Posted by CN Staff on June 07, 2005 at 09:06:07 PT
By Timothy Inklebarger, The Associated Press
Source: Juneau Empire
Alaska -- The state attorney general's office says it may suspend Alaska's medical marijuana registration list in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision Monday allowing the federal government to override state laws allowing medical marijuana.Alaska is one of 10 states where marijuana use is legal with a doctor's prescription. Attorney General David Marquez said the ruling in the California case may have significant implications for Alaska's laws.
"Alaska's medicinal use law is very similar to the law in California," Marquez said in the statement. "Today's decision did not strike down the California law but rather reaffirmed the authority of the federal government to regulate marijuana. The question we must analyze is whether and how the state medicinal use laws can continue to operate in light of this ruling."Department of Law spokesman Mark Morones said the attorney general's office is considering suspending the registration process in Alaska, where patients with a prescription for marijuana can be put on a list to receive a card showing they are entitled to use the drug.The Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics says 198 people are currently on the list.Exactly half of the users live in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, according to the bureau. Twelve users live in the Fairbanks North-Star Borough, 33 live in Anchorage and 17 in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Other boroughs and cities have eight or fewer registered users.Morones said he is not sure how the Law Department would pursue ending the registration process or whether it can be done without legislative action.Dr. Dick Mandsager, director of the state Division of Public Health, said once patients are put on the list and receive a registration card, they are usually on their own in finding the drug."You've always been on your own," Mandsager said. "People that have a prescription have always understood this difficulty."Deborah Smith, first assistant U.S. attorney in Anchorage, said the decision doesn't represent a change for federal prosecutors."It's illegal under federal law," she said. "It's always been illegal under federal law."ACLU of Alaska Executive Director Michael Macleod-Ball said he was not surprised that the ruling favored federal authority over the state's. But he said he does not believe it invalidates Alaska's medical marijuana laws."You're not going to see Alaska resources used to enforce federal law," he said.He said federal law enforcement officials could use the state list to identify registered users."Are they going to use their resources to chase down medical marijuana users or for more legitimate purposes?" Macleod-Ball said. Complete Title: AG May Suspend Medical Marijuana Registration in Alaska Source: Juneau Empire (AK)Author: Timothy Inklebarger, The Associated PressPublished: June 7, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Southeastern Newspaper CorpWebsite: http://www.juneauempire.com/Contact: letterstotheeditor juneauempire.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Angel Raich v. Ashcroft Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/raich.htmLocal Medical Pot Users Disheartened by Decisionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20794.shtmlMarijuana Patients Remain Defianthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20790.shtmlDrug's Users Say Ruling Won't End Their Effortshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20789.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 07, 2005 at 11:34:12 PT
runderwo
I just posted this article from Alaska. Maybe this will help clarify your question.For Alaska, Marijuana Situation Status Quo, Officials Indicate : http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20799.shtml
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by runderwo on June 07, 2005 at 11:05:21 PT
legal?
I thought personal possession and use of up to 4 oz was legal in Alaska for any reason?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by MikeEEEEE on June 07, 2005 at 10:25:06 PT
Excuses
The decision only gives excuse to what they want to do anyway.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 07, 2005 at 09:18:35 PT
News Articles from Snipped Source: SFC
Medical Pot Users Say They Won't Stop Court's ruling: States can't shield patients from U.S. lawBob Egelko, Chronicle Staff WriterTuesday, June 7, 2005The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a blow to the medical marijuana movement Monday, ruling that the federal government has the power to prosecute patients whose actions are legal under state law. The 6-3 ruling rejected two Northern California women's claims that the marijuana they take for serious medical conditions is beyond the constitutional reach of federal drug laws because it is locally grown and supplied without charge. The ruling comes four years after the court allowed federal authorities to shut down an Oakland medical marijuana club and spurned the club's claim that it had a right to serve patients with dire medical needs. Snipped: Complete Article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/07/MNGB3D4N3M1.DTL***Editorial: Medical Pot, After The RulingTuesday, June 7, 2005The U.S. Supreme Court's disappointing decision Monday allowing the federal government the power to prosecute medical-marijuana patients such as Angel Raich of Oakland and Diane Monson of Oroville (Butte County) was a setback for thousands of patients who live in states where the residents thought they had legalized medical marijuana. But it could not have happened at a better time. Next week, Congress will vote on the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment that would prevent the Justice Department from spending money on arresting or prosecuting medical-marijuana patients in states that have declared the use legal. The amendment, which is part of an appropriations bill, was defeated last year but received 152 votes in Congress. Snipped:Complete Article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/07/EDGSED3J811.DTL
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment