False impressions in California

This piece is rather irritating but I'm linking to it because it features blogger Dr. Tom and how he was misquoted in a flawed "news report" at KCBS "Eyewitness News." The local outlet manipulated the video and selectively quoted, to create the impression that anyone can get a medical marijuana card.

This is not really true, nor is there an explosion - as this pseudo-expose would suggest - of a bunch of stoners applying for cards just to get high. Sure, there's a few but the real story is "fewer than 200,000 Californians have obtained approval to use cannabis medicinally in the nine years since it became legal -in a state where millions might benefit if they felt free to try."

This is all part of the anti-marijuana hysteria planted by the ONDCP and fueled by the Raich decision. California is a success story as a model for a legal and regulated market. At least it would be if the prohibitionists would leave it alone.

[hat tip to Tim Meehan]