And that is bad for federal economics which believes in long-term projections. There’s no assurance of a marijuana user today continuing to be one tomorrow, since he/she is not bonded by physical dependency. So, wherever marijuana use has been legalized by states, (and that includes 17 states already, and six more gone to ballot) the federal government has continued belligerent raids and shake ups. But now, the marijuana-use warfront moves close to Capitol Hill, right into the state of Washington, and there’s no beating around the bush here, voters have said they want to smoke pot for fun. Period.
In Colorado, voters passed a measure for the recreational use of marijuana, but Governor John Hickenlooper remains skeptic. Fox news reported the Governor saying “The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will … This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly.”
The Colorado measure allows adults over 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, or have six marijuana plants for personal use. In Washington State, the Initiative 502, would legalize production and possession of marijuana through proper stipulations and impose a 25 percent tax on every step of the transaction from grower to customer.
However, in states like California, where medical marijuana has been legal since 1996 by popular vote, federal authorities continue intermittent raids, and last year federal prosecutors sent warnings to landlords of clinics selling marijuana to evict their tenants or face prison.
So, things are still a long way from chilling out with a chillum in Seattle. But it’s moving that way – Boomshanka.
This is one of the most poorly written articles I’ve seen in a long time. Doesn’t anyone proof read anymore.
I don’t buy the “it isn’t addictive” argument. Not from the science perspective, but consider this: people willingly deal with criminals and gangs in order to get their pot and spend thousands to travel overseas to get it legally (no one’s mentioned the pot tourism dollars Wash and Colo will rake in now). If you’re not addicted, then you should simply say “I will live without pot and not bother with it until it’s legal to buy.” Yet people are hellbent on risking their safety and careers and all that to obtain it in places where it’s illegal. Great – it’s legal now in those two states. More may follow. And just as we mourn the millions who have died since Prohibition on booze ended, similar memorials will arise in the future. But all those folks who willingly dealt with drug dealers to get their fix up until now still have blood on their hands and that’s what I find deeply offensive about the whole thing.