Court Backs Doctors on Marijuana

Court Backs Doctors on Marijuana

A federal appeals court ruled for the first time Tuesday that the government cannot revoke doctors' prescription licenses for recommending marijuana to sick patients.

Graham Boyd, an American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) attorney, had urged the judges to preserve the sanctity of doctor-patient interactions. "That is speech that is protected by the First Amendment," he argued.

[...] U.S. District Judge William Alsup [prohibited] the Justice Department from revoking Drug Enforcement Administration licenses to dispense medication "merely because the doctor recommends medical marijuana to a patient based on a sincere medical judgment." Alsup's order also prevented federal agents "from initiating any investigation solely on that ground."

Hmm.

I get a call while I'm in the bathroom. It's from Nikki, my sister's friend. I need to call her about how much I might charge for babysitting.

I get out of the bathroom and the first thing I do is ask my mom for advice. My mom says she doesn't know, to ask my sister for advice. My dad, who happens to be in the room, says I should just talk to Nikki. I reply I wanted advice first.

So I got into my room, phone in hand. I call my sister Ni-Ni, but no one answers. Damn. So I shrug and call Nikki. The person on the other end says "Hold on." So I do. Then I'm into some fuzzy air, so I say "Hello?" But there was not yet anyone there.

Then, my sister picks up the phone. This is odd, because I called Nikki, not Ni-Ni. She and I chat for awhile. I end the call.

Then I call Nikki--again. I got this woman with some boys crying in the background. "There's no one by that name at this residence." "Nikki?" "Right." "Okay." I put down the receiver.