Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Simple solutions department:
California has a budget crisis. Most states have a budget crisis, after the economy tanked due to hysterial reactions to 9-11.
California would also prefer its medical marijuana smokers were left alone by the feds.
Simple solution: until such time as the feds agree to leave California's medical marijuana users alone, California can stop enforcement of all pot laws, leaving this function to the federal government. This eliminates unneeded duplication of government programs, and saves California taxpayers money. It doesn't condone drug use, simply recognizes that that state function has been federalized.
Meanwhile it can redeploy scarce resources to address violence against women, which the court has said is not under federal commerce jurisdiction.
It's not just California at issue. Alabama has no medipot program, but has a strong tradition of state's rights, and a number of urgent budget woes. Letting the feds handle any pot prosecutions would free up resources and send a message. Indiana has a new budget-cutting governor and overcrowded jails that aren't up to constitutional standards. Allowing the feds to pick up the tab for pot prosecutions would free up resources for other priorities, like hassling adult bookstores and gay men in parks, or stadium construction, or a bail fund for jailed athletes, or whatever.
Maybe somebody more motivated and better connected than I am could draft a sample resolution or bill. Maybe this is a policy that can be implemented by sheriffs or attorneys general or executive order. Enough of this sort of thing, and the feds will be too busy hassling recreation users to be able to after as many cancer patients.
California has a budget crisis. Most states have a budget crisis, after the economy tanked due to hysterial reactions to 9-11.
California would also prefer its medical marijuana smokers were left alone by the feds.
Simple solution: until such time as the feds agree to leave California's medical marijuana users alone, California can stop enforcement of all pot laws, leaving this function to the federal government. This eliminates unneeded duplication of government programs, and saves California taxpayers money. It doesn't condone drug use, simply recognizes that that state function has been federalized.
Meanwhile it can redeploy scarce resources to address violence against women, which the court has said is not under federal commerce jurisdiction.
It's not just California at issue. Alabama has no medipot program, but has a strong tradition of state's rights, and a number of urgent budget woes. Letting the feds handle any pot prosecutions would free up resources and send a message. Indiana has a new budget-cutting governor and overcrowded jails that aren't up to constitutional standards. Allowing the feds to pick up the tab for pot prosecutions would free up resources for other priorities, like hassling adult bookstores and gay men in parks, or stadium construction, or a bail fund for jailed athletes, or whatever.
Maybe somebody more motivated and better connected than I am could draft a sample resolution or bill. Maybe this is a policy that can be implemented by sheriffs or attorneys general or executive order. Enough of this sort of thing, and the feds will be too busy hassling recreation users to be able to after as many cancer patients.
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