Quote Originally Posted by biccat View Post
Yes, but most legal drugs are not handed out fraudulently based on phantom symptoms to perpetuate a lifestyle choice.
Without the dispensaries, people can buy pot from a dealer without even having to come up with any phantom symptoms, in perpetuity. I also think your being overly optimistic towards legal drugs and the way they are handed out.

Try walking in to a real doctor's office and saying "I have a headache, can I get some opiates?" They will hand you some Tylenol and charge you a few hundred dollars for the trouble. In California if you do such a a thing you will get a prescription for pot, with unlimited refills.

"Medical marijuana" is nothing more than an attempt to avoid actual public debate on the issue of legalizing marijuana. In a few years, Californians will be pushing for complete legalization of pot, claiming that fraud and deceit (intentionally allowed by lawmakers) have made widespread use commonplace. And since things aren't so bad now, then what would be the harm in legalizing marijuana outright?
I think your right, but what's wrong with all this? It's incrementalism. It's not always a bad thing. You can't always get people to buy the whole farm, all at once.

On the legal issue, possession of marijuana is still a federal crime, and the fed is free to police the issue as long as it is illegal. I hope they bust a few "pharmacies" to clarify that point to Californians.
You have your wish, they bust them quite regularly, AFAIK. CA needs to keep doing what it's doing and other states need to follow the lead till the fed budges and concedes this power; a power which rightfully belongs in the hands of the states. Still not holding my breath though.