the state is both the regulator and the regulated

^^ true. Unless i took that out of context, i have recently experienced that as I attempted to obtain a medical marijuana card in a state that just came out with their first dispensary. I was all down to go. Signed up even, so i could have access to a better treatment for my ptsd. Until i read all the fine print about how it is actually still illegal (federally) then all the horror stories of all the dispensaries that were federally raided came to mind. I could lose my professional license that i need to make a living. Oh and by the way the dispensary gets its product from the town i live in. Anyway, this may be way off base from what you were trying to discuss. But its my story