Medical Marijuana

A California judge can order a medical marijuana patient to hand in his ID card and give up his medicine if he wants to go on probation instead of to prison, an appeals court has ruled in a 2-1 decision. The ruling provoked a harsh dissent.

A Colorado judge has delivered a shot across the bow to towns and cities moving to ban medical marijuana dispensaries on the grounds they violate federal law.

What a year! A lot happened in 2009 when it comes to drug policy, much of it good. Last issue we reviewed the international developments. This last week of the year, we take a look at what we see as the ten most important domestic drug policy stories the year brought us.

Rhode Island approved adding a dispensary system to its medical marijuana program this spring, and now the state Department of Health has promulgated proposed rules to regulate it. But even if all goes well -- and non-controversially -- it could be another year before a dispensary actually starts dispensing.

New Jersey medical marijuana patient John Ray Wilson was found guilty of marijuana manufacture yesterday, but the jury refused to convict him on the most serious charge. The verdict came after the trial judge partially reversed himself and allowed Wilson to utter one sentence to the jury about his illness and his use of medical marijuana. Supporters are seeking a pardon from outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine.

The Wisconsin medical marijuana bill was only introduced last month, but Tuesday it got a joint hearing from the Assembly and Senate Health Committees. The Democratic legislative leadership and the Democratic governor are all on board, so it could move quickly.

And then there were 14! The last congressional obstacle to the District of Columbia actually being able to implement its medical marijuana law has fallen. Now, DC bureaucrats and would-be medical marijuana entrepreneurs are scrambling.

Congressional budget negotiators have approved a conference committee bill that ends the ban on federal funding of needle exchange programs, ends the ban on the District of Columbia funding of needle exchange programs, and ends the ban on the District enacting a medical marijuana law approved by voters a decade ago. Oh, and it also slashes funding for the drug czar's ineffective youth anti-drug media campaign.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to slash the number of medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the city by nearly 90%. Under the measure approved, the number of dispensaries would be limited to 70.

For the first time in Pennsylvania history, a state legislative committee held a hearing on medical marijuana Tuesday. It was a good start, and although there are significant hurdles to pass, momentum seems to be building.