Medicinal Marijuana Remains Alive and Well

Re “Reefer Madness: Making a Big Deal of Destroying a Pot Farm,” Sept. 2:

While I agree overall with Dana Parsons’ perspective in his column, I must clarify one erroneous point. He says of California’s Proposition 215, “... the U.S. Supreme Court recently all but invalidated it.”

The Supreme Court’s decision applied only to federal cases, stating that a “medical necessity” defense cannot be used in a federal case. It did not even dare to touch on the issue of states’ rights, which was specifically excluded in the ruling. The case was not a challenge to the legality of California’s Proposition 215. In fact, there is yet to be a challenge to it.

That the U.S. Supreme Court “invalidated medical marijuana” is a reductionistic statement often made by the press and would be refuted by anyone at all familiar with law.

For the record, please get it straight: Medicinal marijuana in California is here to stay.

Ray Carlson

Redwood City