...the opponents are right. And I'm one of the biggest supporters of the legalization of marijuana. But the fact is, there are parts of California where you can get a list from the dispensary of doctors who will give you a prescription for pot for just about anything. All you have to do is say you have insomnia, or refer in vague terms to "psychological reasons," and then pay $125 or so. And then out you go with a prescription for pot in hand. With that, you can not only buy but even grow your own marijuana.

I don't really have a problem with that, since I think it should just be legal anyway. But it is true that California's medical marijuana law has all but legalized the stuff, which is what opponents said it would do. I'm hoping California's voters will continue to ignore their shrill and unscientific warnings and eventually legalize it altogether.

(This is not to say that other states' medical marijuana laws are so easily manipulated--all of them, as far as I know, have a much shorter list of approved ailments than does California.)

insomnia? really?

when you get sent to that kind of doctor they should call it a "reeferal."

"...the fact is, there are parts of California where you can get a list from the dispensary of doctors who will give you a prescription for pot for just about anything..."

It's already a world full of doctors prescribing everything under the sun in the way of psychoactive meds to new patients, after only the most preliminary screening. That's practically standard operating procedure for many physicians, including regular ordinary doctors who don't think of themselves as unethical scrip doc pill pushers. The practice is too widespread to even begin to stop, except in cases involving huge quantities of drugs, profiteering, and kickbacks. The medical wisdom of it aside, the present status quo of easy patient access to psychoactive meds lessens problems for the wider society by lessening demand on the black market. I refuse to be alarmed about cannabis being added to that list.

Wasn't this business in place before 1/20/09? I'm missing something.

The character says "I never thought that I would live to see this moment" - a sentiment sometimes expressed in reference to our African-American president - AKA an Obama moment. I am sure that Obama would not be that thrilled with the analogy - but it is a semi-free country once again.

Interesting - my spell checker gives me choices when I type "Obama" - Obadiah, Obadias, Bamako, and Alabama....

weird.

FYI - the local pulp - the Metro - has ads for docs who will do a reeferral for $100 -

and NORML has a list of "friendly" MD's that will write, if appropriate.

Reeferal! Brilliant jChick, just brillo.

Beast Coast states, especially New York, need to get those draconian drug laws repealed. Legalize marijuana, decriminalize everything else, and get all non-violent narcotics users out of jail and into treatment (where necessary).

Of course, with the CIA, Rethuglican and Dummocrat connected heavy hitters being the biggest importers of drugs into the US, how likely is that to happen?

And much better stated. We seem to have double standards on a number of things - green power must be perfect, but mountaintop removal has to happen as we need the lights on; CEOs make money hand over fist no matter what they do to their companies, but the rest of us can be laid off at will; pot...

Predispositions can be a dangerous thing.

(Note: I don't actually like marijuana, nor do I hang out with folks who do it, recreationally or otherwise. My personal tastes here should, however, not be a deciding factor)