Are we wasting time and money fighting against the legalization of marijuana?

Shockingly, one of the individuals that thinks so is conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Thomas issued a blistering dissenting opinion saying that acceptance at the state level all but renders federal law on this a moot point.

Half-In, Half-Out

The case in hand was an argument over legal pot dispensaries not being able to deduct expenses because marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, while legal in many states.

The case was turned down by the Court, but Thomas wrote an opinion for the case just obliterating the fact that we have created a “half-in, half-out” mentality regarding marijuana in this country.

Thomas wrote, “Many marijuana-related businesses operate entirely in cash because federal law prohibits certain financial institutions from knowingly accepting deposits from or providing other bank services to businesses that violate federal law. Cash-based operations are understandably enticing to burglars and robbers.

“But, if marijuana-related businesses, in recognition of this, hire armed guards for protection, the owners and the guards might run afoul of a federal law that imposes harsh penalties for using a firearm in furtherance of a ‘drug trafficking crime.’

“A marijuana user similarly can find himself a federal felon if he just possesses a firearm. Or petitioners and similar businesses may find themselves on the wrong side of a civil suit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.”

He went on to say that “[a] prohibition on intrastate use or cultivation of marijuana may no longer be necessary or proper to support the Federal Government’s piecemeal approach.”

This was one of the more interesting opinions recently written by Thomas and I would highly encourage all to read it in full (click here).

Source: New York Post