Health officials in California have suspended a program that has state workers issuing photo IDs to patients who use medical marijuana, for fear that the workers might be charged with abetting federal crimes.
After a recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court, there is concern that workers as well as carriers of the IDs will be prosecuted by the federal government.
“I am concerned about unintended potential consequences of issuing medical marijuana ID cards that could affect medical marijuana users, their families and staff of the California Department of Health Services,” said California’s state health director Sandra Shewry. Lisa Leff of AP explains:
Last month, the Supreme Court said in a 6-3 decision that people who smoke marijuana because their doctors recommend it to ease pain or other conditions can be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws. The ruling did not strike down laws in California and nine other states that permit medical cannabis use, but said federal drug laws take precedence.
Daniel Abrahamson, legal director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said Friday that state health officials are reacting with unnecessary alarm because in his view the Supreme Court opinion has no bearing on the legality of the state’s identification program.
Teresa Schilling, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Bill Lockyer said, “He has said to law enforcement in some of the bulletins that have gone out that Raich does not impose a mandatory duty to enforce the federal controlled substances act against people who are using medical marijuana legally under California law,” said spokeswoman Teresa Schilling.
An estimated 100,000 people in California use medical marijuana. The state’s ID card program only started in May, and so far 123 IDs have been issued in three counties.
Chris is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest ebusiness news.
