Marijuana at the crossroads: Keynote address

Denver University Law Review

Volumn 89, Issue 4, 2012, Pages 977-995

  Kamin, Sam ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF DENVER   (United States)

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EID: 84876753937     PISSN: 08839409     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Review

References (46)

1. This essay also builds on my earlier work in this area. See, e.g., Sam Kamin, Medical Marijuana in Colorado and the Future of Marijuana Regulation in the United States, 43 MCGEORGE L. REV. 147 (2012)
2. See Michael Roberts, Marijuana at the Crossroads: Event Asks If MMJ Lawyers Are Breaking oath, DENVER WESTWORD BLOGS (Jan. 26, 2012, 10:32 AM), http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source= web&cd=2&ved=0CC0QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.westword. com%2Flatestword%2F2012%2F01%2Fmarijuana-at-the-crossroads-event.php&ei= SDyKT4-3D4GO2AWc5by3CQ&usg=AFQjCNF12QFv275b14u-8apjCYL35byLKQ.
3. See 21 U.S.C. § 811 (2012).
4. 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A)(vii) (2012).
5. See 21 U.S.C. § 812(b)(1) (2012).
6. 2006 Mid-Term Election Results Offer Mixed Bag for Marijuana Law Reform, NORML.ORG NEWS RELEASES (Nov. 8, 2006), http://norml.org/news/2006/11/08/2006- mid-term-election-results-offer-mixed-bag-for-marijuana-law-reform.
7. 18 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC: Laws, Fees, and Possession Limits, PROCON.ORG, http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php? resourceID=000881 (last updated Apr. 20, 2012).
8. It should be noted that Amendment XX does not explicitly permit the sale of marijuana, merely its possession; later regulations have eliminated this odd grey area from the law. See COLO. CONST. art. XVIII, § 14(2)(d).
9. See New York v. United States, 505 U.S. 144, 145 (1992).
10. Gonzales v. Raich, 545 U.S. 1, 2 (2005).
11. See, e.g., Robert A. Mikos, On the Limits of Supremacy: Medical Marijuana and the States' Overlooked Power to Legalize Federal Crime, 62 VANDERBILT L. REV. 1421, 1446 (2009).
12. United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Coop., 532 U.S. 483, 491 (2001).
13. See Cnty. of San Diego v. San Diego NORML, 81 Cal. Rptr. 3d 461, 467-68 (2008).
14. COLO. CONST. art. XVIII, § 14.
15. See, e.g., Wayne Laugesen, Obama's Medical Marijuana Campaign Promises, GAZETTE.COM (May 5, 2011, 4:00 PM), http://www.gazette.com/articles/promises- 117589-campaign-marijuana.html.
16. Christopher N. Osher, As Dispensaries Pop Up, Denver May Be Pot Capital, U.S.A., DENVER POST (Jan. 21, 2011, 12:41 PM), http://www.denverpost.com/ci- 14112792.
17. See, e.g., Nick Lucchesi, Sex Sells Medical Marijuana, Too: Meet the $5 Joint Lady on Federal, DENVER WESTWORD BLOGS (July 27, 2010, 7:02 AM), http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/07/sex-sells-medical-marijuana-too- meet-the-5-joint-lady-on-federal.php.
18. COLO. REV. STAT. §§ 12-43.3-402, -701 (2012).
19. COLO. REV. STAT. § 12-43.3-402(4) (2012).
20. See 1 COLO. CODE REGS. 212-1:1.205 (2012).
21. See Jerrod Menz, Medical Marijuana Abuse: Youths Are Making a Mockery of Medical Marijuana Laws, A BETTER TOMORROW (Mar. 29, 2009), http://abttc.net/ medical-marijuana-abuse/156.
22. The facts paint a more complicated story. While early press reports did show that a small number of doctors were responsible for a disproportionate share of all marijuana recommendations, more recent public data shows that the average age of a registered marijuana patient in Colorado is forty two, The Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry: Statistics, COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT, http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/medicalmarijuana/ statistics.html (last updated Feb. 29, 2012).
23. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A)(vii) (2012).
24. See, $500,000 Marijuana Loan Up in Smoke, http://abcnews.go.com/ Business/500000-medical-marijuana-lawsuit-smoke/story?id=16322793 (reporting that an Arizona judge ruled unen-forceable a pair of $250,000 loans made by two Arizona citizens to a Colorado dispensary).
25. See MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.2(d) (2011).
26. See 28 C.J.S. Drugs and Narcotics § 333 (2012).
27. See 18 U.S.C. § 371 (2012).
28. See, e.g., Lisa Leff, Calif. Pot Dispensaries Told by Feds to Shut Down: U.S. Prosecutors Send Letters Even Though State Law Allows, MSNBC.COM, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44806723/ns/us-news-crime-and-courts/t/ calif-pot-dispensaries-told-feds-shut-down/ (last updated Oct. 6, 2011).
29. See, e.g., Medical Marijuana: Deadline Reached for Colo. Dispensaries Near Schools to Move or Shut Down, HUFFINGTON POST (Feb. 27, 2012, 10:39 AM), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/medical-marijuana-deadlin-n-1303712. html.
30. Twenty five more letters, with some minor changes, were in fact sent out in late March. See Michael Roberts, Medical Marijuana: U.S. Attorney May Target Grows with Future Closure Letters, DENVER WESTWORD BLOGS (Mar. 26, 2012, 11:29 AM). http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2012/03/medical-marijuana-us-attorney- seizure-letters-25-dispensaries.php.
31. 21 U.S.C. § 860(a) (2012).
32. Lisa Leff, Harborside Health Center, Oakland Pot Shop, Hit with $2.4 Million Tax Bill, HUFFINGTON POST (Oct. 4, 2011, 8:19 PM), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/04/harborside-health-center-tax-bill-n- 995139.html.
33. Memorandum from James M. Cole, Deputy Attorney Gen., U.S. Dep't of Justice (June 29, 2011), available at http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/James- Cole-memo-06-29-2011.pdf ("Those who engage in transactions involving the proceeds of such activity may also be in violation of federal money laundering statutes and other federal financial laws.").
34. See, Michael Byars, Colo. Bank to Close Medical Marijuana Accounts, Leaving Dispen-saries Scrambling, BOULDER DAILY CAMERA (August 23, 2011) http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci-18743882.
35. See John Ingold, ATF Say Medical-Marijuana Patients Are Prohibited from Owning Guns, DENVER POST (Oct. 3, 2011, 1:00 AM), http://www.denverpost.com/ news/marijuana/ci-19026921.
36. 12 States with Pending Legislation to Legalize Medical Marijuana, PROCON.ORG, http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID= 002481 (last updated May 8, 2012).
37. Compare Medical Marijuana States, Marijuana Laws, Medical Marijuana Laws, MEDICAL MARIJUANA BLOG, http://www.medicalmarijuanablog.com/state-laws (last visited Apr. 15, 2012)
38. State-by-State List of Initiative and Referendum Provisions, INITIATIVE & REFERENDUM INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, http://www.iandrinstitute.org/statewide-i&r.htm (last visited Apr. 15, 2012).
39. Lisa Leff & Marcus Wohlsen, Prop 19 Supporters Vow to Push Marijuana Legalization in 2012, HUFFINGTON POST (Nov. 3, 2010, 8:58 PM), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/03/prop-19-results-marijuana-n-778050. html.
40. Colorado Favors Gay Marriage, Marijuana Use, Loves Tebow, PUBLIC POLICY POLLING (Dec. 9, 2011), http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2011/12/ colorado-favors-gay-marriage-marijuana-use-loves-tebow.html.
41. Michael Roberts, Medical Marijuana v. Recreational Use: NORML Controversy, Colora-do Connection, DENVER WESTWORD BLOGS (Jan. 25, 2012, 12:25 PM), http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2012/01/medical-marijuana-norml- controversy-colorado.php.
42. See Colorado Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division Rules, COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Rev-MMJ/CBON/ 1251592984795 (follow "Current MMED Rules" hyperlink) (last visited Apr. 15, 2012).
43. See 1 COLO. CODE REGS. 212-1:10.105, 212-1:10.300-400 (2012).
44. See Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1344(a), (g) (2012).
45. 384 U.S. 436 (1966).
46. See Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, 28 U.S.C. § 2261 (2012).