The Sense of Taxing Prescription Cannabis

In California, it is legal to buy cannabis for medicinal purposes with a prescription from a doctor. The federal government has previously objected to this and sometimes arrests those who grow and distribute marijuana strictly for this market. The feds have even arrested sick users. Obama, to his rare credit, says the federal government should allow the states to determine their policy with respect to cannabis.

What I find odd is the fact that the state of California levies a sales tax on the marijuana bought with prescriptions for medical purposes. Now, even the city of Oakland is about to levy a sales tax on this prescription medicine. Those who support the legalization of marijuana cultivation and distribution beyond the medical market, are cheering the taxes for making cannabis legitimate. Now, I do think that when marijuana is made available for general use of adults, it is very reasonable to tax that marijuana. It is wrong to tax a prescription medicine, however, and that is the present status of marijuana sales in California. Well, at least of those that are being taxed.

Some Marijuana Raids Ending

The Justice Department under Obama has made a good policy change. They have decided to no longer raid people and establishments who are not in violation of state law. So, if the laws of a state, as is true for quite a few states, allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes, medical dispensaries operating within state law will no longer be raided. This is a wise and rational policy. Such matters are better left to state law. It is to be hoped that now that the Feds are not interferring in such matters, more states will consider passing laws to allow a more humane and rational policy with respect to the medical uses of marijuana. Indeed, it is time for states to generally get rid of laws against marijuana, since whatever problems it has, they are not worse than those of liquor and tobacco.