no justice for rosenthal

ed rosenthal, the man who quite literally wrote the book on marijuana cultivation, was arrested on february 12 of last year for cultivating medical marijuana legally under california's proposition 215.

as his trial draws near, it would appear that the odds are stacked against him in the courtroom and that he has no chance of receiving a fair trial. whereas it has now been shown that 80% of the american people support use of medical marijuana, federal district court judge charles breyer has dismissed more than half of the potential jurors in rosenthal's case—specifically those in favor of medical marijuana, because he fears they will vote their conscience rather than the letter of the law (which is in fact their right and responsbility).

in may of last year, a medical marijuana buyer's collective in california managed to bring this issue of state's rights versus federal drug law, to the supreme court. the supremes summarily ruled against the use of medical mj, dealing another major blow to state's rights and, of course, medical marijuana patients. interesting though, isn't it, how george bush, while campaigning, said specifically on the issue of medical marijuana, "i believe each state can choose that decision as they so choose." fucking liar! just a few weeks after september 11, 2001, the department of justice began a major crackdown on medical marijuana cooperatives. disregarding the lies we can only expect from bush, the question must be asked, then—if the government spent less time persecuting drug users and more time tracking terrorists, would september 11th ever have happened? and what of this drugs equals terrorism stance? who are the bigger terrorists? drug users or drug prohibitionists?

author peter mcwilliams was no stranger to the harshness of federal anti-drug laws. he died under house arrest, in a puddle of his own vomit, face down in his bathroom, stricken with both cancer and AIDS, suffering unto his death, prohibited from imbibing in the one natural, safe substance that brought calm to his stomach and his composure, which he was arrested and prosecuted for cultivating.

who will be the next victim of unjust (and highly profitable) anti-drug laws? apparently it will be ed rosenthal, and for this fact, it is again a sad day in america.

more on this issue @ plastic