A CONFUSING STATE OF AFFAIRS

Complete confusion.

That accurately describes the current state of the Arizona medical
marijuana law.

What was billed as the most stringent medical marijuana regulation in
the nation has become a morass of legal opinions and a political football.

Monday the situation became more clouded when Attorney General Tom
Horne filed a lawsuit to stop medical marijuana "clubs," the most
notable of which is located in the Phoenix area.

Horne says it's illegal under Arizona's medical marijuana law to
exchange pot for money, even if it is between approved patients.

The attorney general is also busy pursuing a lawsuit against the
federal government. That action was filed in May to find out whether
state employees responsible for regulating the program would face
federal prosecution.

So is this simply a case of Republican politicians, opposed to the
passage of Prop 203 last year, stepping forward to block the law using
any means possible?

And here is the confusing part.

Arizona has already approved more than 8,600 patients to have and use
medical marijuana. Of those, more than 6,900 have been approved to
grow up to 12 plants each.

While state administration officials employ legal tactics to clarify
the federal position on medical marijuana, Arizona is quickly
developing a population that is actively using and growing pot.

The situation is conflicting, if not confusing.