Medical Marijuana: Where the System is Failing in California

Medical marijuana is legal in many states at a state level. It is not however legal at a federal level. The federal government does not believe that marijuana is an effective treatment for any illness. In California, proposition 215 protects Cannabis buyers clubs from prosecution. Cannabis buyers clubs are the stores that provide patients with medical marijuana. Are these Cannabis buyers clubs legal? Well, this is questionable. Federal law supersedes state law, so technically states can not make a law that goes against federal law. California's' argument is that each state should be able to decide what is best for its' people. What the future of cannabis buyers club will be; only time will tell.

In the meantime, is California handling medical marijuana in the best possible way? To this I would have to say no. Marijuana cannot be sold in pharmacies because it is a schedule I drug. Schedule I drugs are not allowed to be sold in pharmacies. Some Californians are fighting to have marijuana changed to a schedule II drug so that it can be sold in pharmacies. At this point, a schedule change seems highly unlikely. This is where cannabis buyers clubs come into play. Since pharmacies can not sell marijuana, marijuana is sold at cannabis buyers clubs. In order to buy marijuana from a cannabis buyers club, a person has to get a doctors recommendation for medical marijuana. This is where the system is failing. There is a boat load of doctors that are providing recommendations to anyone who asks for one. Not all doctors are doing this mind you. But it is these corrupt doctors that are causing the problem. These doctors charge on average $150 for a recommendation that is valid for one year. These doctors don't use any discretion on who should be recommended. Basically it's pay the $150 and get your recommendation. There have been reports of people going to these doctors and asking for a recommendation on the basis that their ear sometimes hurts. These people did not have any medical records, did not have any testing done and had no real physical ailment.

The problems is, if people are getting recommendations for medical marijuana who do not have any medical condition, then these doctors are just providing these patients with a legal means to be drug users. Unfortunately this is not a rare event. How can legalized medical marijuana ever be taken seriously when the system is being so abused? How does anyone expect it to ever become legal at a federal level, if the system is failing so horribly? How long will the federal government allow this abuse of the system to go on? Something needs to change.

California needs to put tighter restrictions on doctors who provide medical marijuana recommendations. These doctors need to be held at the same standard when recommending marijuana as they do when prescribing other medications. If doctors are held liable for their actions in regard to medical marijuana, they will be a lot more responsible when providing recommendations. If doctors know that they will have to answer in regards to their actions, they will be more responsible.

For medical marijuana to be treated like an actual medication, the doctors must treat it like an actual medication. Instead, to many doctors are acting like drug dealers, indiscriminately providing the means for people to get high. California, insist that these doctors act in a professional manner that is best for their patients. Only then, does legalized medical marijuana have a chance.