Jacob Sullum on Medical Marijuana Prosecutions in a State Where Pot Is Legal

This summer federal prosecutors
in Washington plan to try Larry Harvey and four other medical
marijuana users for growing their medicine, which they are allowed
to do under state law. The judge overseeing the case has ruled that
the defendants, who face at least 10 years in prison, may not so
much as mention the reason they were growing marijuana, which is
irrelevant under federal law. Meanwhile, notes Jacob Sullum, the
jurors hearing the case at the federal courthouse in Spokane will
be able to buy pot from openly operating businesses licensed by the
state of Washington, approved by the city, and tolerated by the
federal government.

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