Posted on 09/15/2010 6:59:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
There are a number of razor-close political races happening in California this November. Voters couldn’t give a hoot. All they care about is ganja.
This year, attention has been shifted from political races and re-focused on Proposition 19, which would legalize marijuana for recreational use in the Golden State. The debate has been anything but relaxed.
The National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the Marijuana Policy Project, several other grassroots activist groups and even rapper Snoop Dogg have been lobbying for the proposition, which has dominated California social media in the past few weeks. Snoop even issued a statement.
"I really believe it will take California to another level," Snoop said in an interview with George Lopez. "They got Blueberry, Strawberry, Purple, OG Kush. They even have Obama Kush. That's when you're blowin' presidential."
That may have been precisely the opposite tone taken by all nine former heads of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrators, who issued a joint statement on Monday with over a dozen national activist groups to condemn the legislation. Their tour de force was organized for two reasons: to send a message to California voters, and to send a message to Attorney General Eric Holder, who they believe has jurisdiction over the constitutionality of the issue.
“Plain and simple, science and experience tell us that passing legislation to legalize marijuana is bad medicine and bad public policy,” said Robert Lindsey, President of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, as part of a release. “Without question, legalizing marijuana will increase availability, especially for young people, and will result in increased use and increased costs to be paid by each and every citizen of California.”
The coalition asked Attorney General Eric Holder to examine the Proposition’s legality in relation to the Supremacy Clause. The coalition of DEA administrators sent a letter to Holder addressing the issue, and requesting a public comment.
“The CSA itself clearly states that federal law preempts state law when there is a positive conflict between the two jurisdictions,” said the DEA administrators, in the letter. “The California proposition is not a close call; it will be a clear conflict with established federal law and in fact will also violate our government’s treaty obligations ratified by Congress.”
Critics say that the feds would have a hard time compelling an individual state to enforce a Constitutional clause if the state’s voters chose otherwise, but it could get dicey.
The DEA chiefs and their allies spent most of their time on Monday talking about the health and business ramifications of the bill.
“As a medical doctor who has worked for more than four decades in drug abuse treatment and prevention I am certain that the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, known as Proposition 19, to legalize marijuana use in California will have a seriously negative impact on the nation's public health. If passed, Proposition 19 will lead more people into addiction and subsequently into treatment,” said Robert L. DuPont, MD, Founding Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse.
How are they going to ingest the marijuana? I thought smoking was virtually illegal in CA.
Maybe marijuana smoke (first- and second-hand) explains California’s fall from The Golden State with Unlimited Promise to the present Cesspool of Decadence.
Dave’s not here.
“...all nine former heads of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrators, who issued a joint statement...”
Hahahaha...I’m going to be laughing the rest of the day...
Prohibition never works...just make it legal and tax the crap out of it....
I have not seen or heard any ads about on the TV or the radio yet. Wheres is all the focus?
Yeah, right. Why should we have more taxes? They're just going waste it on pointless spending and government programs anyway. How about we just rescind the illegal laws enacted on the premise of drug prohibition and get the gov't out of the drug business.
Since when do the citizens of California worry about costs?
no, no, no, not rescind, repeal, repeal, repeal. Sorry, I just had my first hit of coffee and after taking in a little too much MSM this morning.
you are right, to hell with the government regulation, have they ever done a study on the effects of doctors prescribing xanex and other prescriptions on health, its a false argument..I would rather see folks with something they could grow in their back yards than a bunch of costly Doctors prescriptions with fine print of a million things that can go wrong..
Just legalize it, and get the government out of our lives, and stop persecuting and crucifying decent folks..shame on the government..
I’ll buy that....I agree with you.
I hope it passes just from a State’s rights perspective. It will be interesting to see if the DEA can shut it down or not.
If not, then it could lead to some interesting precedents.
Still trying to find drugs, marijuana or anything close to it in those enumerated powers. Don’t even think about starting with that commerce clause crap.
Why, everyone will be drinking...even in public places!
Look at the social costs...the broken families, those killed by drunk drivers. Fights by those in alcoholic fueled rages!
Even children will sneak into their parents cabinet and consume this demon whiskey!
It should REMAIN ILLEGAL IN ALL STATES, FOREVER, LEST WE COLLAPSE AS A NATION IN SIN!
IF you run any kind of business in California which has employees driving on company business, the Liability of toked-up employees out on company business is huge.
Federal laws require drug tests for OTR drivers, even if they are ‘local deliveries’. Such tests are given randomly & without notice.
YOU want to support Prop 19?
What will your position be when someone is buzzed & hits your wife & 3 kids? Will you tell the court that you supported this ill-conceived idea & that you should never recover any of the costs of your losses????? I’ll bet you will NOT.
i don’t think an insurance company would pay in your behalf if one of your business drivers had a addident out on the road...or even just on the company property.
I don’t think that Workmen’s Comp pays, either, when drugs are involved.
IMO, this will drive more business OUT of Calif.
Let me see if it is legal and taxed would that cause dealers to go away OR would they undercut the prices and stay in business?even stoners look at lower prices.
I think you know the answer to that one.....
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