Medi-pot mess draws ire

Deputy U.S. Attorney General James Cole recently warned that the federal government may step in if California doesn’t implement a statewide regulatory system for the use and distribution of medical marijuana.

Since 1996, when Proposition 215 modified state law to allow patients the right to obtain, grow and use marijuana for medicinal purposes with a doctor’s recommendation, counties and cities have created a patchwork of different rules. Several attempts at imposing tighter medi-pot regulations have failed—most recently in August, when state lawmakers delayed Senate Bill 1262, which would have implemented strict oversight of physicians who prescribe medical marijuana and required medi-pot retailers to obtain state licenses costing up to $8,000 each, according to California Healthline.

“If you don’t want us prosecuting [medical marijuana users] in your state, then get your regulatory act together,” Cole said.