MEDICAL MARIJUANA FIASCO

Pot Bust:

There's a big difference between the recreational use and the medical use
of marijuana.

Federal drug policy has failed those who are suffering from grave illnesses
and need medical marijuana. When bad law fails people, people in turn take
the law into their own hands. That's what has happened with medical
marijuana, and now federal agents have created an uproar by raiding a small
pot farm near Davenport and arresting the owners.

Those arrested were Valerie and Michael Corral, and they grow marijuana in
order to provide it to those who are sick. Some patients get medical
benefits from the drug, and a big majority of Californians have approved
the idea of legalizing the medical use of marijuana. Medical marijuana use
has been approved both in Santa Cruz County and in California, and in some
other states.

But pot remains illegal on the federal level, and agents arrested the
Corrals and cut down the marijuana plants more than a week ago.

The arrests have prompted outrage locally, to the point that the Santa Cruz
City Council has declared its support of an open distribution of medical
marijuana on Tuesday.

The issue of medical marijuana has its subtleties. Some supporters of
medical marijuana also support the legalization of marijuana, and sometimes
the two issues become confused. Certainly federal agents make no
distinction between users. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman
Richard Meyer made that clear last week when he expressed shock at the
upcoming city-approved event: "That's illegal," he said. "I'm shocked that
city leaders would promote the use of marijuana that way. What is that
saying to our youth?"

His words will infuriate local advocates of relaxed marijuana laws. Our
reaction is somewhat different, because we agree with those experts who say
that recreational marijuana use is a lot more harmful than its supporters
say. Longterm use can lead to a variety of physical and psychological
damage, and the tolerance of marijuana use locally has had a negative
impact on our area's drug problems.

But outlawing medical marijuana is as bad as outlawing perfectly acceptable
medical treatments of other painkillers. Federal law - and its enforcing
agents - make no distinction between recreational users and medical
patients in need of relief.

Not only have voters in California made clear that they support medical
marijuana, but local law-enforcement officers have made their peace with
those getting the drug to those who need it.

The DEA raid was done without the support or even the knowledge of local
law enforcement. After all, law enforcement is an exercise in judgment, and
local officials from Sheriff Mark Tracy on down have been cooperative in
allowing medical marijuana to get to the patients.

Obviously, the system in place in Santa Cruz is hardly the best system. It
would be far better for medical marijuana to be prescribed by doctors and
purchased legally, even by federal standards. But this country's inability
to establish meaningful laws has given birth to a system of distribution
that isn't great - but it works.

We don't support the overall legalization of marijuana. However, we do
approve of the distribution of pot - or any other substance - to people who
are suffering and in need of relief.

Our information is that the Corrals are interested only in bringing relief
to those who are sick. Their arrest doesn't help the common good; it only
helps federal authorities who want to make a point.

Interestingly, many California public officials, including state Attorney
General Bill Lockyer, have expressed strong support for the Corrals and for
the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, the organization they operate.
The organization sells marijuana only to those with a doctor's prescription.

Obviously, there must be a better way. For medical marijuana to be
recognized as legal by the state but not by the federal government makes
for a bizarre situation such as the one that the Corrals and many of their
patients are facing.

The only good that comes of the situation would be if it leads to change on
the federal level. But that's small comfort to those like the Corrals whose
very freedom now depends on the vagaries of federal officials. It's an
outrage that some innocent people - including the Corrals - could suffer.
It's long past the time that our society comes to grips with the complexity
of the abuses and the benefits of marijuana.