It's Legal to Swill Alcohol, Smoke Cancer Sticks...
...consume genetically altered produce, breathe toxic fumes in our polluted air, drink water from our polluted lakes, purchase and use semi-automatic weapons and handguns that are designed to kill and injure people, but we cannot use unregulated, untaxed and non-profit marijuana for our own, personal medical use. Link to latest senseless idiocy.
Why? As I've pointed out above, Americans are constantly subjected to health hazards more damaging than the minor toxicity of marijuana smoke, so I have ruled out any concern for the health of Americans. I had thought that the legal aspects of this issue were a "no brainer" where the feds would continue the ban but states could regulate the substance as they see fit. The "interstate commerce" element that the feds might have a leg to stand on isn't even part of this particular case.
I realize that there are many things banned by the feds and allowed by states and vice versa and somehow these issues are resolved reasonably. Why, then, is the right to grow your own medical marijuana in a category by itself? Or is it?
If you or someone you love.... might have an answer or opinion, I'd welcome a bit more info on this one.
Edit and Update: Hmmm, not much blogbuzz on this issue right now. Here's a link to an old article written by Jonathan Adler. I bet he's disappointed with this decision. Here's a rant from Digby which is similar to my own, but much more understandable.
Probably the most in-depth and interesting commentary is on MetaFilter . Some of the commenters stress that pot is not what this decision is all about. It's about the mysterious "Commerce Clause" in the US Constitution. Here's an example:
"..,The ruling had little or nothing to do with weed. Ruling in favor of the medical marijuana in this case would also have had the effect of undermining the Civil Rights Act and other good laws where the federal government regulates things that "affect" interstate commerce. The feds bust medical growers under the same provisions that force businesses to admit black people."
More to come....
May all beings know love and peace... especially the poor women who filed the medical marijuana case with the US Supreme Court!
