Reason Writers Around Town

In the Los Angeles Times, Reason Foundation co-founder Manuel S. Klausner wonders why sick Californians are being punished by the state.

Comments

Warren | January 26, 2007, 1:01pm | #

Yes, there have been poorly run dispensaries and others looking to circumvent the system — but the feds didn't focus on them.

Instead, this raid hit one of the best-run dispensaries in West Hollywood — the Farmacy — where patients must present valid medical information verified by doctors; where purchases are limited to 1 ounce, even though the law allows patients to possess 8 ounces; where patients aren't allowed to medicate on the premises; and where anyone caught with forged documents is detained until police arrive and charged with a felony.

So they went out of their way to exacerbat the suffering of sick people. Fucking bastards! So where's the outrage?

Oh right, these people sell/use drugs. They must deserve to suffer.

J sub D | January 26, 2007, 1:19pm | #

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

I haven't been to law school, I don't know latin, so somebody explain the justification for this crap. Is there a part of the constitution that says states are prohibited from regulating medicinal or agriculteral products within their borders? Is there a provision that gives the feds the autority to regulate INTRASTATE commerce? INTRASTATE medical practices?

Golly, I wish I was as smart as the SCOTUS, because I just can't find it.

R C Dean | January 26, 2007, 1:42pm | #

Is there a provision that gives the feds the autority to regulate INTRASTATE commerce? INTRASTATE medical practices?

Sure. Its called the Interstate Commerce Clause.

Interstate, intrastate, you say potato, I say potahto.

mediageek | January 26, 2007, 1:49pm | #

"In the Los Angeles Times, Reason Foundation co-founder Manuel S. Klausner wonders why sick Californians are being punished by the state."

Color me six shades of cynical, but I suspect that executing a SWAT raid on sick cancer patients is somewhat easier than pulling off a drug bust of a meth lab.

Warren | January 26, 2007, 3:30pm | #

J sub D,

As I understand it, congress has the authority to set to price of pot at infinity under the commerce clause. Since the actual price of out of state dope is less than that, the chemo-therapy crowd must be putting downward pressure on the market.

Guy Montag | January 29, 2007, 2:00am | #

So, can I smoke tobacco indoors soon?