USA Today: State and federal marijuana laws collide

[Newsjock]

Source: USA Today

People who use marijuana for medicinal purposes in states where it is legal are being penalized by the federal government because pot is still illegal under U.S. law.
At Denver unemployment offices, medical users fired for failing a drug test are denied unemployment benefits, says lawyer Kimberlie Ryan, who represents some of those applicants.

In California, Jim Lacy, 60, who has an arthritic hip and uses medical marijuana for pain relief, says he has had his stash confiscated and been threatened with arrest at Border Patrol checkpoints near his Jacumba home.

In Las Vegas, N.M., cancer patient Robert Jones, 70, says he has been notified that his federal rent subsidy is being revoked because he is a medical-marijuana user.

... Problems occur at airport security checkpoints in medical marijuana states. Baggage screeners, who work for the federal Transportation Security Administration, turn medical marijuana users over to local police for prosecution, according to Ed Skvarna, chief of the Burbank airport police.

Read more: http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=indystar&sParam=41061954.story

[FirstLight]

1. such bullshit

when will it end?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. It's way past due for the Feds to cave on this one.

Disgusting.

Remember States Rights? The Feds are way out of line on this conflict. The laws at the Federal level must change before any more lives are disrupted the way these peoples' have been.

Recommended.

[BlueJac]

3. The war on pot smokers....

they love wars and were just looking for one they could win. To bad it is another senseless move by ignorant people.

[Fumesucker]

4. Gil Kerlikowske speaks for Obama on "drugs"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Kerlikowske

Richard Gil Kerlikowske (born November 23, 1949) is the current Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a position generally referred to as the United States "Drug Czar". He assumed office on May 7, 2009.

(...)

In a May 22, 2009 interview on KUOW radio, he said any drug 'legalization' would be "waving the white flag" and that "legalization is off the the charts when it comes to discussion, from my viewpoint" and that "legalization vocabulary doesn't exist for me and it was made clear that it doesn't exist in President Obama's vocabulary." Specifically about marijuana, he said, "It's a dangerous drug" and about the medical use of marijuana, he said, "we will wait for evidence on whether smoked marijuana has any medicinal benefits - those aren't in.

It's interesting and revealing that the two "drugs" Obama wishes to be legal are those two he currently enjoys, alcohol and tobacco.

[JonLP24]

7. That has to be the President's worst appointment

I'm familiar with him before I read that article. Walters was a clown as well.

[meow mix]

5. wheres the 10th amendment crowd?

10th! 10th!!
oh it only applys to assault machine guns.

[slackmaster]

6. We're here

Congress has exceeded its authority to regulate interstate commerce.

[krabigirl]

9. here..you must be kidding.

[meow mix]

12. well i was wondering more about the right wing flavor..lol

here in MT its the rightwing that is hell-bent on defeating MMJ laws and welcome federal interference. they constantly bring up "against federal lawww!!" in order to
nullify state mmj rights.

then turn around and cry about federal gun bans or freedom of choice laws. this is more the hypocrisy i was referring to sorry =)

[krabigirl]

8. scary. how about some states' rights?

for the feds, I am sure this is working as intended. Failing to "obey," even if legal in your state = rights taken away.

[slackmaster]

10. States have powers. People have rights.

HTH

[krabigirl]

11. Really? Doesn't look like a lot of people in this article have "rights." HTH.

lmao..

[slackmaster]

14. Their rights have been infringed

It's very simple.

[felix_numinous]

13. It is a war on pain management

-these are just people who are in a lot of pain and prefer a superior herbal remedy. They are absolutely doing no harm to society, it is so obvious that our drug policy is all about profit, support and protection of industries above the safety and wellbeing of citizens.

[the redcoat]

15. So...who has more pull with the government? The American fricking people, or Big Pharma?

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Another area of huge hypocrisy for Obama the drinker and

smoker, previous coke snorter, pot smoker. The man drinks alcohol in the WH and holds cocktail parties there, drug parties where everyone uses alcohol, the most destructive drug known to man. Have a cig and think it over, Mr President.