|
| David Stevens / Cheryl Shuman |
| Amendment 64 supporters Tuesday night celebrate the legalization of marijuana in Colorado
|
By Dr. Robert Townsend
“The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will,” Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper said in a written statement released by his office. “This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug so don’t break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly.”
The voters have spoken indeed. Legalization in the face of federal law has passed by a large margin in two states, we added the 18th medical state, we nearly got a 19th in the South, and all ballot initiatives supportive of cannabis passed in Michigan. But like the Colorado governor demonstrates, there are many politicians rushing to smoke filled back rooms to try and figure out a way to circumvent the will of the voters.
Is he isolated in his views? We see so many examples of politicians like Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and agencies like the Department of Justice, HUD, and the ATF doing everything they can to maintain the status quo of prohibition. Private employers hide behind federal law to discriminate against the sick, adopting the position that it is OK to show up to work stoned out of your mind on oxycontin, but if you used cannabis 3 weeks ago… welcome to the world of unemployment.
