Marijuana law reform is back at the forefront of national debate after the Obama Administration’s new guidelines on medical marijuana investigation and prosecution came out Oct. 19. The federal government’s new stance comes as a relief to the many users and suppliers of marijuana for medical purposes and is seen by some as a move towards a more liberalized drug enforcement policy in the nation generally. However, with all the excitement over the new policy comes a wakeup call for the states which have legalized medical marijuana use or are considering such legislation. Inconsistent regulation, vague standards and patchwork enforcement are threatening to stall marijuana law reform.

To the Editor:

Re: “Puff, Puff, Pass Legislation for Legalization,” News, March 26

I liked this article in which the author promotes the legalization of cannabis. “Once we legalize nuggets, the gold will come rushing in” is nicely phrased, and so true.

However, I bet many of the creators of the anti-cannabis PSAs are secret tokers, just like many preachers are secret fornicators and at least one former moralizing drug czars a secret gambler. People will do anything for money and sex and they lie — God, can they lie! Trust no one in the war on drugs.

Richard Kefalos

Prominent TV commercial actor and occasional swimmer Michael Phelps publicly apologized Sunday for smoking weed. Phelps was compelled to apologize not because he ripped his first bowl and felt just oh-so awful afterwards, but because some British newspaper published a photo of him smoking out of a bong. As it turns out, weed-smoking swimmers — at least unapologetic ones — lack the ability to sell inappropriate beachwear to old, fat Europeans.