Stupid Laws

No, I'm not talking about the silly laws like the one in Baldwin Park which states that nobody is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool.

I'm talking about the stupid laws. The ones that make no fucking sense.

A couple of years ago, a popular pain medication - hydrocodone - was elevated by the feds to the same classification as morphine or heroin. This mandates that every prescription must be a written script by the physician. Physicians are not allowed to call or fax the prescription. Refills are not allowed. So in order to get the medication (maximum thirty-day supply) you must get a script from the doctor once a month and then drive to the pharmacy to get the prescription filled. In my case, this takes at least two hours.

Okay, Fine. But consider this: I can get codeine through the insurance company's mail-order pharmacy. The doctor just sends them a fax or an email. The only limitation is that the insurance will only allow a ninety-day supply (as with every other drug). What's the difference? Hydrocodone is a lab-created opiate, while codeine is an opiate straight from the poppy.

Stupid fucking law.

Another (to me, at least) stupid law.

Medical marijuana has been legal in California for more than twenty years. To purchase, you must have a recommendation from a physician.

Now, recreational marijuana is legal for anyone twenty-one years or older. Great idea.

That should make things simpler, right?

As it turns out, there is a requirement in the new law that requires all marijuana businesses which  have a recreational license to only do business with others who have a recreational license. What this means is that the medical businesses have lost their suppliers because the suppliers have gotten recreational licenses. The result will be that we will have only recreational businesses. The medical dispensaries will be driven out of business unless they want to become licensed as a recreational business, which is a pain in the ass. Counties and cities can put more restrictions on recreational licensees than on medical businesses.

So is the legalization a plus or a minus? I can't fucking tell. I know it is causing problems for me and many others who are interested in the lovely weed for medicinal purposes and not just for getting high.

Makes no fucking sense to me.