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Old 12-01-2004, 11:40 AM   #36 (permalink)
balderdash111
Psycho
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mojo_PeiPei
As provided in the constitution, yes, yes they can.
You know it's not that simple, right? The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, yes, but the marijuana laws aren't in the constitution, they were passed by Congress.

Here is the short version, as best as I recall without bothering to look back at original sources:

Under the Constituion, Congress has certain specific areas in which it can make laws, among which are laws to regulate interstate commerce.

Over the years, Congress has used that power to enact laws that really aren't directed at interstate commerce, per se, but which were justified on the basis that the issues they were addressing had an effect on interstate commerce. Congress's authority to pass the the Civil Rights Acts, for example, were derived from the right to make laws affecting interstate commerce. (I won't bother going into the rationale - suffice to say that Congress decided, and the Supreme Court agreed, that civil rights violations affect interstate trade)

So, the issue here is where California has said that it is ok to grow and sell marijuana entirely within the state of California, , does Congress have the authority to stop it?
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