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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat no one is telling you about Washington's marijuana legalization
http://www.examiner.com/article/what-no-one-is-telling-you-about-washington-s-marijuana-legalization?fb_action_ids=4788241062368&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%224788241062368%22%3A435742946487488%7D&action_type_map=%7B%224788241062368%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map<snip>
First, don't light up just yet. The Initiative does not take effect until Dec, 6. Even then marijuana can not be legally purchased until the state chooses who can legally produce and sell it, a process that could take up to a year, and your neighborhood pot dealer will unlikely be chosen. Users will only be permitted to possess up to one ounce of dried marijuana and possessing just 50% more than the legal amount will land you with a felony charge that holds a jail sentence of up to 5 years in prison. Don't expect to be smoking anywhere other than a private residence either because smoking in public is still illegal. In fact a Manette resident has already been arrested after police were called to a local park where the man said that after Tuesday's election, pot is legal. "We saw it on the news," he told the officer.
Even more so, growing, processing, and selling will be controlled by the Washington State Liquor Control Board with a 75 percent tax not including the 10 percent sales tax. The Liquor Control Board will also be in charge of regulating how much THC can be present in the marijuana sold and where and how many distributors will be allowed to open. Ordinary citizens will not be permitted to grow marijuana themselves either. Even more surprising, simply passing a joint from one person to another will still be a class C felony. Growing hemp still remains relatively unchanged as well.
One of the worst parts is the DUID (driving under the influence of drugs) provision and the zero tolerance clause for those under the age of 21 despite that people under 21 can legally possess medical marijuana. Medical marijuana patients and recreational users can now be charged with DUID for being above the designated 5 ng (nano-gram) / ml (milliliter) THC blood content limit (or a ZERO tolerance 0 ng/ml limit for those under 21) which means users will be instantly guilty of a DUID and will have their constitutional right to a fair trial revoked if they refuse a police blood draw. Under previous laws the system required law enforcement to prove impairment in court for a guilty verdict to occur.
This blood limit is not supported by any legitimate science either. The U.S. Department of Transportation concluded that it is not possible to conclude anything about a drivers impairment on the basis of his/her plasma concentrations. Other government studies from the National Library of Medicine have gone to show this 5 ng amount can be present in your blood days after using marijuana making arrest for being completely sober while driving a large possibility.
More worrisome is that when Nevada passed a similar DUID law, DUID arrests jumped 76 percent statewide. Several Seattle lawyers have issued their concern over the likely increase in arrests.
..more..
uppityperson
(115,674 posts)I was going to post the WA laws, but it got too long. Here is the WAC link http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=70.160
Here is a good summary.
http://www.smokefreewashington.com/laws/smokinginpublic.php
On November 8, 2005, Washingtonians made a healthy choice by voting to pass Initiative 901. The initiative prohibits smoking in all restaurants and bars by amending the states 1985 Clean Indoor Air Act. Today, the definition of "public place" includes bars, restaurants, bowling centers, skating rinks, and non-tribal casinos. The definition also includes private residences used to provide childcare, foster care, adult care, or similar social services, and at least 75 percent of the sleeping quarters within a hotel.
The Smoking in Public Places law also prohibits smoking within 25 feet of entrances, exits, windows that open, and ventilation intakes that serve enclosed areas where smoking is prohibited.
Washington was the tenth state in the country to implement a comprehensive statewide law prohibiting smoking in all restaurants and bars, and the fifth state to have a law that requires 100 percent of indoor workplaces to be smoke-free.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)In these cities, smoking is prohibited in parks, greenbelts and along public thoroughfares (sidewalks?).
IMO, the cigarette prohibitionists are trying to fit tobacco into a scheme that resembles marijuana's scheme (or what marijuana's new "legalized" scheme may become). That will surely be the desires of prohibitionists here in Austin, judging from their high-dollar ads.
The frontier of prohibition (tobacco/ganja) will be "getting at" users (the pipe dream of all prohibitionists). That is, to get at the homes of users, using, perhaps the bureaus of child protective services in an effort to restrict/punish users where a "child" lives under the same roof. There is evidence suggesting this as a future course of action when one considers the ganja prohis' efforts to get children to "turn in" their parents 20+ years ago. Very disruptive and damaging to families.
"The surest way to work up a crusade in favor of some good cause is to promise people they will have a chance of maltreating someone. To be able to destroy with good conscience, to be able to behave badly and call your bad behavior "righteous indignation" -- this is the height of psychological luxury, the most delicious of moral treats.
Chrome Yellow (1921)
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)The state will dictate the type of cannabis that is legal.
It will dictate a hefty price for it.
And it will have a monopoly on it.
So if you want another type of pot, that the state does not sell, you risk breaking the law.
There will be a black market tho. Count on it.
Wonder how the state plans to sell it? In ready to smoke joints? By the ounce in "official" containers?
( that would be cool..buy one container, use it afterward for your homegrown pot container).
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)frazzled
(18,402 posts)What, you thought this would be unregulated, tax-free, and without laws to prevent driving under the influence?
mick063
(2,424 posts)There are countless laws that have become ignored or revised because they are almost unenforceable.
Two reasons why:
1) Violation is extremely difficult to prove in court.
2) So many people violating the law that it overwhelms the system.
Once the dam breaks, I expect the wrinkles will be worked out. Especially the driving impaired part. The legal challenges on this will be interesting.
Floyd_Gondolli
(1,277 posts)I read something from salon about the Colorado law. The crux was it would be relatively easy for the Feds to crack down on state licensed sellers in Colorado but the provision that allows people to grow small amounts in their home is simply not enforceable.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)by enabling local/national LEOs to seize property, land, vehicles, etc. This helped create the drug Cartels become the political powerhouse they are.
Don't put it past the feds to arrest home-growers, seize the house, seize the land, seize anything remotely used in "processing" pot, and the horse (car) it rode in on. This is why you don't hear much about "Maui Wowie," "Gainesville Green," or any of the old expressions for home-grown: They were effectively dried up in favor of automated warehouses in some cities, grow operations on public land, and of course, the powerful cartels.
All in all, however, good developments: Taking the state-by-state approach is like legalizing lotto. No state will stand idly by and watch spending and potential tax money from Kansas end up in Colorado.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)to convict people under the drug laws. That's what jury nullification was included by the Founding Fathers for, to render bad laws useless.
Revanchist
(1,375 posts)I know that the federally supplied marijuana via the Investigational New Drug program (you can read more about it in Prescription Pot) was zapped to prevent growing new plants from any seeds. Do you think the state supplied product will undergo the same treatment?
CBGLuthier
(12,723 posts)I don't think they are legalizing ditchweed.
TrueBlueinCO
(86 posts)Yikes. That's a shitty law. The one we got here in CO isn't perfect, but it's way better than that. I would rather not have "legal" weed than have the WA law.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Yes, I agree with you. If I were still toking in Wa. I certainly would not bother with state controlled pot.
RomneyLies
(3,333 posts)From NORML:
The vote in Colorado is awaiting final certification, a process that is expected to take about a month. After this approval, it will immediately become legal in Colorado for adults over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and for them to grow up to 6 plants in a secure indoor space.
The state is required to adopt a legal framework for retail sales by July of 2013, the first marijuana retail outlets could potentially open as early as the start of 2014.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)That plus gay marriage.
Yep...momentum is happening.
Floyd_Gondolli
(1,277 posts)And living within driving distance of your state i plan on spending more time there than my ususal once a year trip to RMNP. I also plan on retiring there because it's a great place to live for lots of reasons. but I digress.
Less than 20 years ago I never thought I'd live to see it legal anywhere. I don't think people in their teens and 20s truly grasp what a struggle this has been. Not saying you fit that age group just that we've come a long way since I took my first puff in the early 90s.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)But a lot of pain-in-the-ass 60s activists worked to reduce penalties. In all places, Texas has some of the lowest penalties for simple possession. And discussions about the "imminent" legalization of pot have been going on for over 40 years.
I like the Marijuana Policy Project. They take on state governments. Been a paying member for over 15 years.
Mr.Bill
(24,103 posts)were really anti-Mexican laws.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Remember it clearly to this day, believe it or not.
70's were a great time...sigh.
JohnnyRingo
(18,581 posts)Sure, weed was a felony, but no narc with any self respect would grow his hair long like a hippie. That's what made Serpico so unpopular with his peers. Well, his narcing on fellow officers didn't help, but back then narcs looked like Tagg Romney in a Nehru shirt, so avoiding prosecution was pretty easy.
As a bonus, the '60s also didn't have Kelso and Fez.
slampoet
(5,032 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,103 posts)that illegal pot growers in Northern California are ecstatic about the increased demand these new laws will open up. Get ready for higher prices on the black market.
By the way, the federal government is NOT going to let your state grow and sell marijuana. Count on that.
Panasonic
(2,921 posts)and I have been a MMJ patient due to chronic back pain (herediatry spinal stenosis), and have not had trouble with the Feds.
Mr.Bill
(24,103 posts)Or is it private growers? What I meant was the feds are not going to let state governments go into the MJ business.
This thread, and my post is about the new law in Washington that says the state will control production, sales and taxation.
aletier_v
(1,773 posts)FYI, marijuana legalization (and legalization of prostitution) were predicted in 1991 in
The Great Reckoning, How the World Will Change in the Coming Depression,
James Davidson.
That as economic conditions worsened, governments would turn to "new types of revenue".
Mr.Bill
(24,103 posts)Some form of legalized gambling in 48 states.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Plain folks can do that.
The feds will have factors of hydra-headed "enforcement" targets, not merely the state.
JohnnyRingo
(18,581 posts)Taxes will raise prices, regulated THC levels will kill off competitive production, and restrictions on where and how will land many in jail on worse felony charges than simple possession.
I like the Ohio law that makes simple possesion of up to 100 grams a $100 fine without a court appearance. Unfortunately, having a roach clip or even cigarette papers with possession of weed is the felony as having a dirty hypodermic needle. I'm not saying that's perfect, but a step in the right direction.
Keep the government out of our smoke.
randome
(34,845 posts)In their desire for an all-or-nothing option, they have succeeded in making a bad situation worse.
Decriminalization would be a slower path to legalization but it would work better than this.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)decriminalization would be the better way for now.
Taverner
(55,476 posts)aletier_v
(1,773 posts)liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)and I-502 prohibits growing for recreational use. Recreational users will be forced to buy from licensed business. Not that it will stop people from growing of course. It just won't be legal.
easychoice
(1,043 posts)Yeah,there are warts on it but it is a start,we can move forward from here.Be patient.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Panasonic
(2,921 posts)The major problem is knowing where to put the fine line between legally stoned and extremely stoned.
Colorado attempted to put 50 ng THC as a limit - too low for a MMJ patient - average about 200-300 ng THC (from what I know).
The legislation didn't even pass - not even the special session managed to pass it. So it'll be restudied in prep for the legalization part.
I suggest they drop the idea of DUID - hell, do the cops even pull over cigarette smokers for high levels of nicotine?
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)but it passed and now we will have to try to see if the legislatures can fiddle with it and make it better. They will have to change the 5 nanogram blood limit or they will just fill up the jails again. I also worry for all the 16-20 yr olds out there that will end up being charged. I think they will come down hard on 16-20 yr olds to try and prove to the federal government that the state can be trusted to regulate marijuana. We will see with time how it all unfolds.