Marijuana legal in WA state?

[binny]

I heard this on the news last night. It looks like I don't live in that much of an ass backward state after all.

http://www.mpp.org/states/washington/new...state.html

[Zhalentine]

Marijuana is still banned by federal law and by the supremacy clause marijuana is still illegal to smoke in WA.

[Dotard]

One can only dream.

[Rhizomorph13]

Hmm, I remember Meatball posting something up about Barrack changing rules related to state sovereignty. The change successfully protected California dispensaries from being raided by the feds.

Ahh, found the quote:

The Obama administration in the US has finally made it an official policy (in writing!) that federal agents will not be trumping state laws regarding medicinal marijuana. In other words, if a person is a designated caregiver and is growing marijuana within state guidelines, the DEA cannot disrupt their operation. The DEA can no longer raid marijuana dispenseries in California provided they are following state law.

This has sorta been the standard practice since February, but now it's official policy.

It's not law, but it's a big step. I wonder if this kind of thinking would extend to all state marijuana laws. For example, if one of the CA ballot initiatives in 2010 calling for full marijuana legalization were to pass, would we see similar policy from the feds?

Unfortunately the link to the source he quoted is no longer valid.

Rhizo

[binny]

If you ask me they should end this silly war on drugs and make them all legal. Those dumb ass politicians seem to think that if drugs are legal people may use them. Really? Their not using them now?

[Pope Alfred]

If you ask me they should end this silly war on drugs and make them all legal. Those dumb ass politicians seem to think that if drugs are legal people may use them. Really? Their not using them now?

But think of all the poor gangsters who would go out of business!

[leo-rcc]

If you ask me they should end this silly war on drugs and make them all legal. Those dumb ass politicians seem to think that if drugs are legal people may use them. Really? Their not using them now?

I couldn't agree more. Either ban the lot or legalize it all.

[Meatball]

Hmm, I remember Meatball posting something up about Barrack changing rules related to state sovereignty. The change successfully protected California dispensaries from being raided by the feds.

It was specifically regarding medicinal usage, unfortunately.

Bills like this Washington one don't fare well. There is immense pressure from the biggest of lobbies(pharmacutical, prison, tobacco, among others) that tends to overtake a lot of legislators.

I think the way it will happen is a California ballot proposition. Once that goes through, and the resulting Fed vs. State rights battle is settled, the more liberal states will all fall like dominos.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Washington STATE?

Oh,here "WA" means "Western Australia" which amazed me, as it's still 1953 there. WA has our most remote capital city,Perth. It's over 2000 miles from here,and nearlly 3000 from Sydney. I've been twice. It meant driving across the Nullarbor Plain, which is over 600 miles wide. The road was not sealed until 1970.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nullarbor_Plain

Marijuana for private use has been decriminalised in my state for nearly 20 years. You may even grow few (up to 5 is OK. I think) plants for personal use without going to gaol. Although technically you can still be fined,it's rare. Dealing is another matter entirely and remains frowned upon by the law.

As a decent hydroponically grown plant (about 2 metres tall) fetches over $2000, growing weed remains popular amongst both professional criminals and amateurs. This city has a LOT of specialty hydroponic shops.

[Meatball]

The law (or the enforcement of it) is very relaxed in Canada and parts of the US.

The problem is that in places where MJ is decriminalized, or even where the laws are simply not actively enforced, it just makes the negative aspects of the drug trade worse. It increases demand but keeps the power in the hands of criminals and gangs. Black Market sellers don't have to worry about losing a license for selling to kids, or for tampering with the product. As long as someone's buying, they don't need regulations. It's a position that essentially gives street gangs an unregulated monopoly.

Despite a relatively lax attitude at the local level, the federal government made marijuana it's top priority a few years back, and hundreds of thousands of people are serving time on marijuana charges. This needs to stop.