The growing controversy over the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries is serving as a very interesting test of which way the political winds are blowing.
In states that have legalized the use and distribution of marijuana for medicinal reasons, like Colorado, dispensaries are popping up like Starbucks on steroids. Nationally and locally, politicians of all different stripes are calling for some sort of regulation, but few know what kind of regulation and even fewer want to prescribe the needed medicine.
This isn’t a typical wedge issue where one political party can use it to inspire their base to come out and fight or support the issue. Frankly, neither party’s base could really care less about the issue, which reflects most of the middle of the road voters as well.
Some elected leaders have come out with their opinions, but the issue is still murky.
President Obama announced that the Justice Department should not spend their time arresting anyone who is in “strict compliance” with any state’s medical marijuana laws. But Colorado Attorney General John Suthers believes if the President wants his new policy to work, Colorado and other states must regulate dispensaries.
State Senator Chris Romer announced this week that he intends to introduce legislation in 2010 to regulate the distribution of medical marijuana, but State House Speaker Terrance Carroll responded by saying he does not see marijuana regulation as a priority for the House agenda this session.
The reality is that there are few politicians who want to play the narc card or the enabler card here. State Attorney General John Suthers is in a unique position because he is the state’s top law enforcer. But besides him, few politicians are finding an upside fighting for either side of this issue.
What will finally spur politicians into action on proposed regulation? I can only think of two scenarios.
One, if a very young minor gets caught getting pot from one of these dispensaries it might raise enough eyebrows to spur some action, that’s not likely to happen.
The more likely scenario is if an elected leader can figure out how the government can make money from it. Once that happens, and don’t worry it will, then all bets are off. The bipartisan effort to regulate will come together faster than you can say “reefer madness”.
I don’t think this current complacency will lead to a quickening of the full legalization of marijuana. As a society, we like taking things in baby steps, and we are still one of only a handful of states that have legalized medical marijuana. Fully legal pot may be on the horizon, but it’ll take its time getting here.
In the meantime, if you are one of those few folks who have a strong opinion one way or the other on this issue, you’re going to need to get a lot more friends to agree with you if you hope to move your leaders into action anytime soon. That, or some really good brownies.
