Federalism and marijuana

Federalism and marijuana November 8, 2012

Colorado and Washington state voted in a referendum to legalize marijuana.  Not just medical marijuana, recreational marijuana.  (Oregon defeated a similar measure.)  The problem is, the sale and possession of marijuana are still illegal according to federal law.  The states are trying to figure out what to do and how this would work.

What we have is a crisis of federalism.  Conservatives, who might normally oppose drug legalization, are in the position of championing states’ rights, while liberals, who might normally favor legalized drugs, are in the unusual position of opposing federal regulation.

At any rate, if the states can figure out how to implement that referendum, Colorado and Washington can expect all kinds of drug tourism.  That might not be a pleasant prospect.

 

See  Marijuana approval leaves states scrambling for answers – The Washington Post.

"Well, as long as we're all listing our favorites ... pretty much everything by Chaplin, ..."

The Nihilism Beneath the Surface
"You folks all know where to find my opinions on movies. Some favorites of mine ..."

The Nihilism Beneath the Surface
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."

Methodists Gone Wild
"It was interesting to learn that Tarkovsky made Solaris in reaction to Kubrick's 2001. He ..."

The Nihilism Beneath the Surface

Browse Our Archives