OFFICIAL REEFER MADNESS

THE HEARTLESS absurdity of the federal war on drugs was on display this
week when the U.S. Supreme Court barred an Oakland medical marijuana club
from dispensing pot to seriously ill patients.

Acting on an emergency request from the U.S. Justice Department, the high
court halted, at least for now, the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative
from distributing marijuana to people ``with a medical necessity.''

Four years ago, California voters approved Proposition 215, which allowed
patients to use, grow and possess pot if recommended by a doctor.

The initiative was a humane effort to make pot available to patients who
say it gives them relief from cancer, AIDS, migraines and a wide variety of
ailments.

Similar laws have been passed in Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada,
Oregon and Washington state.

However, the state laws defy federal drug policy that allow doctors to
prescribe mor phine, amphetamines and a pharmacopoeia of potentially
dangerous drugs, but forbid marijuana under any circumstances.

Zealous drug warriors have fought medicinal pot every step of the way, and
Tuesday's Supreme Court ruling was an ominous sign that the court may
invalidate medicinal marijuana in every state it was made legal.

That would be a sorry victory of puritanical politics over humane medicine,
especially at a time when legitimate researchers are just beginning to
study the medicinal properties of pot.

By sheer coincidence on Tuesday, the University of California announced the
creation of a new Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research in San Diego to
examine the medical uses and effects of pot.

It's disgraceful that the federal government denies suffering patients --
some with terminal illnesses -- whatever medical benefits and solace they
might find in smoking marijuana prescribed by a physician.