Weed Worries

Potheads can't get their stash in Martha's Vineyard:

The culprit behind the shortage is the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, which ruled that "transporting pot across the ocean — whether by boat or plane — risks running afoul of federal laws," according to the AP. You can grow weed on the Vineyard but you can't transport it there. Never mind the part where people do transport it to the island every time they buy it on the mainland. They just can't transport it to a store for purchase by somebody else. Meanwhile, it's been perfectly clear for a decade that Washington — no matter which party is in charge — doesn't much care what the states do about weed. Last month, the FDA moved to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug on legal par "with testosterone and Tylenol." Nevertheless, here's what Vineyard residents must endure to get their fix:

For people living on the island, taking the ferry to buy pot can be expensive and time-consuming. There's no dispensary in Woods Hole, where the ferry lands, so they either need to take an Uber from there or bring over a car, and space for vehicles is in hot demand over summer. That leaves medical users such as Sally Rizzo wondering how they will access marijuana. She finds the drug helps relieve her back problems and insomnia.

The story didn't indicate whether users were also forced to walk uphill in the snow in both directions, but Rose is suing the Commission to authorize moving marijuana across state waters so he can re-open his dispensary. “I'm on the verge of going out of business,” he told AP.

Prohibition without prohibition...