Pubdate: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 Source: Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA) Copyright: 2010 Appeal-Democrat Contact: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/sections/services/forms/editorletter.php Website: http://www.appeal-democrat.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1343 Author: Ralph Givens 'REEFER MADNESS' BAN A VIOLATION People in Sutter County should know that political hacks like Supervisor Jim Whiteaker want to enforce a "reefer madness" ban in violation of the California Constitution. Sutter County's creation of barriers to access for medical marijuana violates their oath of office and disobeys the direct instruction of the Constitution of the State of California: Article III, Section 3.5 of the California Constitution (adopted in 1978) states that "An administrative agency, including an administrative agency created by the Constitution or an initiative statute, has no power: ... (c) to declare a statute unenforceable, or to refuse to enforce a statute, on the basis that federal law or federal regulations prohibit the enforcement of such statute unless an appellate court has made a determination that the enforcement of such a statute is prohibited by federal law or federal regulations." Repealing a ballot initiative is not a matter that the Sutter County supervisors have the authority to decide. The U.S. Supreme Court did not strike Proposition 215 from the books so it is still the law in California, including Sutter County. Ralph Givens Daly City - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D