Who has a card?

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Ease in obtaining  marijuana “green cards” will hinder legalization

thenewstribune.com

Who is to judge what a patient can be? -UA         

Advocates for medical marijuana have made great progress in the last few  years.

Several states, including Washington, have taken varied steps towards  legalizing medical cannabis, and public sentiment is not inclined to throw a  wrench in the works.

But the actions of a growing number of pot heads could change that.

An investigative journalism piece by the Trib’s Rob Carson  (10/2) shed some light on a growing phenomenon-  modern day carpetbaggers  setting up marijuana permitting clinics in Tacoma. Medical credentials aside,  the aim of these individuals and their storefronts is to churn out a high volume  of marijuana permits whether their patients’ needs are legally valid.

Like dope dealers everywhere, these individuals are all about skirting the  law in the name of profit.

Carson’s insightful report demonstrates that new  laws and restrictions cater not only to patients in beed of pain reduction or  relief from chemotherapy-induced nause; new guidelines have opened the  floodgates for people only interested in smoking marijuana for the high.

The new clinics, set up to issue marijuana use permits, exist as a rubber  stamp shop for people looking to score, and in at least one case that can be  accomplished by walking to the dispensary next door.

One medical professional quoted in Carson’s article states he “does his best  to comply with state law.” That sounds like the sort of excuse you hear in a  sentencing hearing.

One canna-businessman (I need to patent that term), in a heady rush of  capitalism, was quoted saying, “There is big freaking money in this thing.” The  thing to which he was referring was the (low, low priced!) $99 cost for medical  marijuana permits, the so-called green card.

What is clear is that the true advocates and legitimate patients of medical  marijuana are being overwhelmed in number by recreational users. These habitual  pot smokers are pushing and shoving at a legal doorway that the legislature  merely cracked open.

One can hardly argue their enthusiasm, but it could end up being costly.

The issue comes down to perception. If the people choose to legalize medical  marijuana, thereby upending decades of cultural beliefs and drug laws, many of  them will want reassurance that is for chronicallly ill patients.

On the other hand, if it becomes clear that the medical marijuana legislation  was merely a ruse–to provide ethically challenged medical professionals and pot  growers a constant source of cash, and a legal and never-ending bong hit for  recreational users–then the people might get pissed off.

Marijuana advocates should consider these missteps, because the door of  legalization swings both ways.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. “Who is to judge what a patient can be? -UA ” AMEN! Cheers to that UA!!!!

    Another thought: “I’d rather use legal marijuana medically than medical marijuana legally” -OCNORML

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