It was interesting to see articles regarding medical marijuana on both Page A1 ( "Medical pot dispute boiling over") and B1 ( "Employee fired for medical pot use sues firm") Sept. 18.
The escalating dispute between the people of California and the federal government has been simmering since passage of Proposition 215 put state law and federal law in opposition.
As noted in the article, Attorney General Bill Lockyer is at least attempting to negotiate an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Agency. Unfortunately, he continues to avoid making what is an obvious case for the state to appeal to the Supreme Court to weigh the Controlled Substances Act against the 9th and 10th Amendments.
Lockyer could have done so, but did not, with the case of Brian Epis, the medical marijuana patient recently sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. As a result, the people of California, granting power to the federal government (at least that's what the Constitution says), get to pay taxes to put a guy in prison for 10 years when, as a people, we disagree with the law under which he was convicted. Isn't that the definition of tyranny?
Lockyer should take note.
--Gerald Klaas, Sacramento