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November 29, 2009
Improbable Changes, Grim Prognoses
From its beginning in 2005, this blog has been focused on various aspects of “medical marijuana” as a political campaign against America’s war on drugs. The relatively small, disputed, gray market that began evolving in scattered parts of California after 1997 had just sustained what many saw as a crippling blow in June: the US Supreme Court ruled against it in a decision that effectively allowed Californians to be prosecuted in federal court for following a state law both state and federal Supreme Courts had upheld; local California police were lobbying vigorously against business licenses for new cannabis retail outlets, and also cooperating in a spate of DEA raids.Improbably, just over four-and-a-half years later, the disputed medical gray market has become a thriving multi-billion dollar industry, not only in California, but in a growing number of other states. One medical organization after another has expressed, albeit timidly, support for the concept of medical use. Although the DEA and NIDA retain their Congressional backing and state law enforcement agencies still openly support the drug war as policy, funding for its principle weapons: arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment, is increasingly limited by a sinking economy.
For the first time ever, it appears that pot’s days on Schedule One may actually be numbered, although in ways that hadn’t been predicted. Indeed, given the parallel incongruity of drug war developments with pressing global events, the most important question may be whether that happens before a nuclear strike by a rogue nation, the first unequivocal evidence of coastal inundation, or planetary shortages of oil, water, and food.
Their common denominator is human error; the burning question may now be one of the time remaining for their correction.
Doctor Tom
Posted by tjeffo at November 29, 2009 06:52 PM