the medical cannabis battle cont.

Things will half to come to a head soon...

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) â?? A program to distribute state medical marijuana cards to qualifying Sonoma County residents is going forward despite a second U.S. Supreme Court decision ruling that a federal ban on marijuana supersedes state laws allowing medical use.


The cards are expected to be available by mid-October, according to public health officials.


But how many people will sign up, knowing that they still could be subject to arrest by federal authorities, is unknown, said Dr. Leigh Hall, deputy health officer for Sonoma County.


"We don't really know," Hall said. "It is a voluntary program ... so it will depend on what identification is needed at dispensing sites, how scared people are by the legal stuff going on. But we are gearing up, we will hire extra people."


Under a state law that took effect last year, medical marijuana users and caregivers will be able to get state-issued identification cards that give them immunity from arrest by local and state law enforcement officers.


But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for a second time in June that the federal ban on marijuana supersedes state laws allowing medical use.


Although it didn't overturn California's medical marijuana law, the ruling left open the possibility that medical marijuana users could be arrested by federal law enforcement officers.


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well said BC...