Fourteen years after Californians voted to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana, two counties — in violation of state law — are still refusing to issue official identification cards to cannabis patients.

Senate Bill 420, passed in 2003, directs California counties to issue ID cards to patients using medical marijuana with a doctor’s approval. Unfortunately, SB 420 doesn’t list specific sanctions against counties that refuse to do so.

Yes, even Sheriff J. Paul Parker last week endorsed the plan as a way to clearly separate medical marijuana patients apart from drug abusers and traffickers, lightening the workload for law enforcement.

“To be honest, we’re disappointed in this decision,” said Dale Gieringer of California NORML. “It really leaves the residents of Sutter County hanging high and dry compared to everybody else in the state.”

“It’s absolutely outrageous,” said Aaron Smith, California policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). “They clearly have no respect for the taxpayers who will foot the bill for a lawsuit [the county] can’t win.”

“They’re sworn to uphold the state constitution and they turn their backs on it,” Smith said. “It’s like an act of civil disobedience, which has its place — but not among officials running a county government.” Continue reading