(photo: DAVID BUIMOVITCH/AFP/Getty Images)
Metro police arrest two people who have medical marijuana
cards. One of the users had a marijuana waiver which allowed her to
have in her possession a greater amount of marijuana and plants than
ordinarily would be allowed. Police said they “acted in good faith” in
belief their actions were legally justified.
While marijuana is “legal” in Nevada for medicinal purposes, the possession and use of the weed is still illegal when it comes to federal law and it is viewed as the same as heroin, LSD, PCP and other controlled substances.
Technically a person who holds a medicinal marijuana card could be arrest by federal authorities. Local police are supposed to surf the various distinctions between federal, state and local laws, laws which are often in contradiction with one another.
When Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana for recreational purposes in direction violation of federal law, the president told the Justice Department to stand down. Let it go. Let’s stand back and watch and see how it works out. This in spite of the fact that it is against the law.
The president has allowed this lack of definition and lack of direction to define his entire presidency. No wonder there are arrests that are legal on one level but not on another level that wind up in lawsuits.
The president could have redefined marijuana, but instead have allowed it to remain a Class 1 drug. That means state pot programs and research efforts are in direction violation to federal law. The president has made an effort to walk the middle line without taking a firm stance and providing leadership in clarifying these differences.
The cloud of confusion will continue until a future president decides to take the bull by the horns and through true leadership brings a universal definition to this conundrum.
While marijuana is “legal” in Nevada for medicinal purposes, the possession and use of the weed is still illegal when it comes to federal law and it is viewed as the same as heroin, LSD, PCP and other controlled substances.
Technically a person who holds a medicinal marijuana card could be arrest by federal authorities. Local police are supposed to surf the various distinctions between federal, state and local laws, laws which are often in contradiction with one another.
When Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana for recreational purposes in direction violation of federal law, the president told the Justice Department to stand down. Let it go. Let’s stand back and watch and see how it works out. This in spite of the fact that it is against the law.
The president has allowed this lack of definition and lack of direction to define his entire presidency. No wonder there are arrests that are legal on one level but not on another level that wind up in lawsuits.
The president could have redefined marijuana, but instead have allowed it to remain a Class 1 drug. That means state pot programs and research efforts are in direction violation to federal law. The president has made an effort to walk the middle line without taking a firm stance and providing leadership in clarifying these differences.
The cloud of confusion will continue until a future president decides to take the bull by the horns and through true leadership brings a universal definition to this conundrum.
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