Government Reefer Madness

Its stories like these that make my blood boil. Here we have a young man who has found relief from serious pain with marijuana. I have yet to read a story where anyone has overdosed and died from smoking too much cannabis but for some reason, our federal government sees a need to prosecute those who dispense and use the drugs for medical and therapeutic purposes. The Republicans can talk all they want about how they are proponents of federalism but regrettably, their actions differ from their words when states like California decide a new direction when it comes to drugs.

What makes me even angrier is the thought that John McCain’s wife Cindy, was busted for stealing prescription pain killers (drugs many times more dangerous than marijuana, by the way) yet because she is married to John McCain, she gets a pass. One would think that Sen. McCain would be a little more sympathetic to those who seek relief from pain via marijuana or other means but the good senator seems to be content with the status quo double standard which currently exists. When asked if individuals such as Owen Beck should have access to medical marijuana, Sen. McCain “Just Said No!”



Despite these setbacks in what the federal government says that an individual can do with his or her body, there has been at least one recent victory on the medical marijuana front. Former 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate Steve Kubby recently wrote a post at Third Party Watch reporting that all the charges against him have been dropped and his record has been expunged.

Kubby writes:

Yes, you read that right, thanks to the incredible support of my fellow libertarians, I not only survived, I PREVAILED!

Because of those who cared enough to help me and my family, I survived an indictment for 19 criminal counts amounting to a minimum of 40 years to life in prison. That indictment was backed by a $10 million grant by the US government to put me, and the medical marijuana revolution, behind bars.

While Mr. Kubby’s fight appears to be over, the man who made it possible for Owen Beck to receive relief from his pain, Charlie Lynch, his fight is just beginning. Lynch is facing charges which could put him in prison for 100 years. And for what? Dispensing a product (marijuana) which California voters decided was acceptable for medicinal purposes?! Meanwhile, the average first degree murderer spends 20 years in prison in California.

This is madness. Foolish, disturbing, government reefer madness.