California Vs. The Rest

There has been a lot of talk in the news recently about the federal government's attempts to curb the medical marijuana industry. One of the biggest moves made was against California, where many dispensaries recently received threatening letters to cease and desist.

These steps against California dispensaries were not made subtly and have actually been quite public. Many people in other states have been forced to ask themselves why something similar isn't happening in their own state.

This was the case in Rhode Island, as local marijuana supporters worried about their own supply of medicine suddenly disappearing. Informed state advocates do not share these concerns, however, as they were happy to discuss some inherent differences between California's dispensary system and their own.

Rhode Island, for example, allows only a very limited amount of dispensaries. They are highly strict and regulated, and patients are thoroughly screened before prescriptions are given. This does not appear to be the case in California.

On the west coast things are looser, and this is making the federal government worry. California reports the highest revenue from the marijuana industry and has a reputation for giving prescriptions out like coupons.

Other medical marijuana states believe this is why California has been a target above others. There are many areas that allow open medicinal use, but not all of them are as big, as populated, or as inclined as California.

It is unlikely that the letters sent by the federal government will lead to all of the dispensaries shutting down, but there is a chance that this could lead to reform in California. The state is unlikely to take extreme measures, but perhaps some compromises can be made.