Conservative states balk at voter-approved medical marijuana

[Algernon Moncrieff]

ABC

Pot advocates celebrated the culmination of a yearslong effort to ease restrictions on the use of cannabis last month when nearly 60 percent of Oklahoma voters approved medical marijuana.

Oklahoma's proponents had even included a two-month deadline for the implementation in their measure so as to avoid the years of delays they had seen elsewhere.

But that has not stopped state health officials and the Republican governor from making drastic changes . Within weeks of the election, they signed off on tough new restrictions, including a ban on the sale of smokable pot. The change was supported by groups representing doctors, hospitals and pharmacists who opposed medical marijuana, but infuriated supporters of the state question and has already led to lawsuits.

"It's like they snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory," said Chip Paul, who helped write Oklahoma's medical marijuana state question and push for its approval. "You try to do something the proper way. You follow the rules. And then you win and you get screwed."

This sounds like an issue Democrats should be running on in the Sooner state, but that's just me. I know they have a lot of angry teachers running for office in both parties this cycle, which should be interesting to watch.

[NutmegYankee]

1. Republicans only crave power, they care not for process or will of the people.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

4. I can't help but wonder if pharma is involved.

[Major Nikon]

5. I think it has a lot more to do with narrowmindedness

These are people who were told for decades that cannabis was evil, and they are the same ones who are unable to change their ideas when faced with new information. Cannabis shouldn’t just be legalized, it should be mandatory for anyone who makes public policy.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. And it's not just laws on medical marijuana passed by popular decree (the voters)...

that are causing the republicans to jerry rig existing state laws and newly passed laws to still be favor of what the republicans/minority still want (all while ignoring the overwhelming choice of the people).

Besides medical marijuana, an animal rights proposal in MO was passed several years ago, in overwhelming numbers, and the republicans ignored it anyway. The republican legislature claimed it would do untold damage to puppy mills and / or farmers, so basically they ignored the newly passed animal rights proposal. I never understood how they got away w/ this, bypassing a popular decree which was passed in overwhelming numbers by MO voters.

So, the fact that voters may win at the ballot box doesn't ensure victory. Besides lawsuits and the like tying up the legislation in limbo for a long time, they will tie up via any bureaucratic means that they can come up with, in implementing the legislation, if they implement it at all.

[Trust Buster]

3. Why is the term "conservative" ascribed to these people ?