Voters in Maine disappointed liberals and civil libertarians last night with a vote to repeal the state's legalization of gay marriage, but they also approved something that should make those civil libertarians happy: a provision that will allow for state-approved medical marijuana dispensaries.
The medical marijuana provision passed somewhat resoundingly: 58.6 percent to 41.4 percent, as of this morning, with 93 percent of precincts reporting. It makes Maine the third state with legalized pot stores for medical-marijuana patients (along with Rhode Island and New Mexico), and it's the first state to approve them via a ballot initiative.
It also expands the list of conditions that can be treated with
marijuana to include intractable pain, agitation of Alzheimer's, and
Lou Gehrig's disease.
13 states currently allow for medical marijuana use, and, after Attorney General Eric Holder sent new guidelines
earlier this month to federal prosecutors, FBI and DEA officials, the
federal government will essentially go along with state laws, ceasing
arrests and prosecutions of medical marijuana users who comply with the
laws of their states.
A big concern for medical marijuana advocates has been that it's hard to convince voters and state legislators to pass laws that they know the federal government will contradict. If medical marijuana users get arrested by the FBI and DEA, what's the point in legalizing medical pot at the state level? After the effort of putting a bill through the legislature or getting a measure put on the ballot, passage would seem like a pyrrhic victory.
So, with that in mind, Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Rob Kampia, whose group drafted the Maine proposal that's now law, suggested the Obama administration's new policy had something to do with the vote: "Coming a decade after passage of Maine's original marijuana law, this is a huge sign that voters are comfortable with these laws, and also a sign that the recent change of policy from the Obama administration is having a major impact," he said.
This is truly sad. The people vote for a drug that gives them pleasure and at the same time deny the pleasure of marriage to an unfortunate few.
What is even sadder is that you find something positive in this.
Oh give me a break cowichan. Yes, the marriage loss was discouraging, but you really resent an effort at proper regulation of medical marijuana? You want to deny sick people relief?
Well, it just seems to me that marijuana legalization passing isn't that big a deal in comparison. Yeah, I don't really care either way if marijuana is legal or not (though I admit taxing it would be of some benefit to local government) when someone's right are being denied. legalized pot is 2 steps forward while revoking marriage rights is about 12 steps back.
.... you know, suddenly I get pot. Where can I get some? =P