Will Recreational Marijuana Get the Green Light in Three States?

[qualia]

If you live in Colorado, Washington or Oregon, your state may soon be the first in the nation to allow possession of marijuana—in limited quantities—for recreational use. It all depends on what happens Nov. 6.

Pot is no stranger to the ballot in Colorado, where smokers consume more than two million ounces of marijuana each year and the state spends more than $40 million annually enforcing its prohibition. A ballot initiative to legalize marijuana failed 59% to 41% in 2006, six years after a referendum approved medical marijuana for use in the state. This year, cannabis advocates filed eight different petitions to legalize marijuana for recreational use under the state’s constitution, a proposal whose fate voters will decide on Election Day.

Supporters argue that a regulated marijuana market would yield an economic boon. An August report from the Colorado Center on Law and Policy found that the amendment could generate $60 million from criminal cost savings and new tax revenue. Proponents plan that the first $40 million generated would go toward the state’s school construction fund, which would help create nearly 400 new jobs. “Regulating marijuana like alcohol will take sales out of the hands of cartels and gangs and put them in the hands of legitimate Colorado businesses,” says Mason Tvert, co-chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which has out-fundraised its opponents nearly four to one. “The question is whether we would prefer it be strictly controlled and sold by licensed businesses in a regulated market, or whether we want to continue with the current system in which it is strictly uncontrolled and sold by criminals in the underground market.”

Coloradoans favor marijuana legalization 48% to 43%, according to a recent Denver Post poll, down slightly from a 51% to 40% lead last month. Much of the new resistance comes from women, who flipped from supporting the measure 49% to 39%, to opposing it 48% to 40%. “Amending Colorado’s Constitution to make our state the marijuana capital of the US is wrong for our kids and our economy,” says Laura Chapin, communications director for Smart Colorado, one of the main groups challenging the proposed amendment.

Washington also has a marijuana legalization initiative on the ballot—and supporters of the measure led in a recent poll 54% to 38%. The Washington initiative, like Colorado’s, would treat marijuana like alcohol at new state-licensed marijuana stores; users would have to be over 21 and purchases would be limited to one ounce. Oregon is attempting to pass a similar measure, but polling indicates it is less likely to succeed: opposition leads support 43% to 36%.

If any of the recreational marijuana measures pass, federal authorities have indicated they would likely initiate a challenge. US Deputy Attorney General James Cole told 60 Minutes that the Justice Department would continue to watch for “dangers to the community from the sale of marijuana” and if so, “we’re going to go after those dangers.” Federal prosecutors cracked down on medical marijuana in California last year, closing hundreds of dispensaries.

Medical marijuana is making three ballot appearances this year, in Massachusetts, Arkansas and Montana. (Montana voters approved a medical marijuana law in 2004, and this new measure would repeal it to create a new marijuana program.) California—the first state to make medical marijuana legal after voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996—attempted to more broadly legalize pot on the 2010 ballot, but the vote fell short. Medical marijuana use is currently legal in seventeen states and the District of Columbia.

Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2012/10/25/ballot-initiative-of-the-day-could-recreational-marijuana-get-the-ok-in-three-states/#ixzz2AMeyhCK6

 

 

highlights mine

[Kee]

Medical Marijuana stocks are way up too, if they're any indication of whether or not the legislation will pass i'm not sure.

MJNA up 24% yesterday, 300% for the month there's a few others too

[chnt]

oh god please...

I'm 90% confident at least one will pass, but hopeful that 2 can pass, potentially 3, but most likely not.

[qualia]

edit: i got excited, but fingers crossed

http://www.huffingto..._n_2074168.html

Edited November 7, 2012 by qualia

[chnt]

so fucking excited man.

[ayjay101]

Yeeaaaa Harrrrrrr!

[ballzac]

This is quite incredible. It looks like the beginning of the end for the whole ridiculous WOD. Even if the federal government decides to crack down and cause problems for Colorado, I think this shows how the attitudes are changing in the states, and it's only a matter of time before laws like this get passed in other states, and I think the pressure for the federal government will get too high for them to keep resisting. Once America is on board, particularly given enough time to prove success, other countries will follow. I'm going to try not to get too excited about this particular event, because you never know what is going to happen in the near future, but I think it is a colossal step forward, looking at the big picture.

Regardless, it might be a while before any sort of infrastructure is set up to distribute it in a controlled way, but in the mean time, it will be pretty soon that people in Colorado will be able to possess cannabis without fear of arrest by state police, and if the federal government decide to intervene in some way, it will be a while before they get around to it, so there will be many people who have it easy over the coming months.

Edited November 7, 2012 by ballzac

[nabraxas]

Voters in Washington have similarly approved an initiative that legalizes the recreational use of up to one ounce of marijuana. The new law is set to take effect on December 6th.

Unkind news for potheads in Oregon, where a marijuana legalization measure has apparently failed.

 

http://gawker.com/5958361/forget-everything-else-colorado-has-just-become-the-first-state-to-legalize-marijuana

& Obama the toker just won the election.

[qualia]

i read just now the colorado govenor is quite opposed to the whole thing, i'd be willing to bet that there will be quite a focus from the feds on colorado and washington, but time will tell i spose. still a fantastic step forward.

[Auxin]

And it also seems the law passed 8 months ago to legalize same sex marriage in washington was upheld by popular vote.

Marijuana and equal rights, I see more tourism dollars for my state in the future.

[Foo]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/colorado-washington-pot-legalization-_n_2086023.html

[toasty]

i hope there is no interference from the federal level. it's the beginning of a 4 term so they have the time to give it a chance.

[ballzac]

We won't see any active support from Obama's administration. It would be hard for him to back out of some of the comments he's made about drug law reform in the past. But hopefully they will lay off for a bit.

[Psylo]

Washington have also passed the amendment

[Auxin]

i hope there is no interference from the federal level.

 

The feds getting involved is guaranteed.

Recreational drug laws is one of many state issues that the feds illegally usurped long ago. The feds are supposed to provide for national defense and to regulate interstate and international commerce and pretty much nothing else but they have their hand in every pot. They made drug laws very symbolic and if they were to give up control of them to the states they would loose their other illegal programs.

This nation was supposed to essentially be 50 almost-countries under one small unifying top level government. Some how it ended up being 50 serfs serving under one perversely wealthy lord.

[Psylo]

Isn't the USA's right to bear arms meant to be so that if there comes a time when givernment is corrupt, they may be taken over ? This seems like the time, however all citizens seem to be doing is shooting each other, and standing as misguided patriots under an illusion that the land of the free is working in their favour.

What are your thoughts on that, Auxin, as a yank.... is it time to form a citizen's militia and orchestrate a coup?

[Stillman]

jeez Psylo they only just reelected Obama give him a week or so before they get the white hoods out. lol

[Psylo]

jeez Psylo they only just reelected Obama give him a week or so before they get the white hoods out. lol

 

That's an unusual way to try and represent my statement. Not least of all because the Klan were a militia that served the Democratic Party.

[Stillman]

I thought the clan was a subsidiary of the NRA?

edit I'm kidding

Edited November 8, 2012 by Stillman

[Psylo]

The heirarchy is Farmers>Klansmen>NRA>Democrats>Japanese Multinationals>Satan

Back on topic, I'm wondering how this is going tpo unfod, considering that in 2012 the USA has experienced the early stages of other enthogen prohibitions, with Kratom & MHRB experiencing lengthy processing delays at customs, vendors are being questioned and supply is becomig difficult. Whether this is a state or Federale matter, I don't know, but it's clear that the USA is still a long way from 'freedom'.

Unless youre El Prededente, King Choom, Barry O.

[Stillman]

he always looks a bit smashed. goofy grin always up for a high 5. You know he was master of the joint intercept at college?

[Auxin]

Isn't the USA's right to bear arms meant to be so that if there comes a time when givernment is corrupt, they may be taken over ?

 

No, our right to bear arms was intended to make it so we would never make the hideous mistake of maintaining a standing army spread across the globe wasting trillions of dollars, but rather had the ability to form local self-defense militias at a moments notice so we could fight off any invading army guerilla style with loosly interconnected, largely autonomous, state and county militias.

"Oppressors can tyrannize only when they achieve a standing army, an enslaved press, and a disarmed populace"

Kratom & MHRB experiencing lengthy processing delays at customs, vendors are being questioned and supply is becomig difficult. Whether this is a state or Federale matter, I don't know

 

Thats the feds. Tho the feds allow states to do stuff like that too, like when Louisiana banned a whole entheogen encyclopedia, already illegal plants and non-existent plants included Unfortunately they dont allow states to do the reverse and allow plants.

They cant truly force local police precincts to enforce federal but non-state bans beyond a certain point tho.

I remember when a water main busted here me and the nearest cop stood around bullshitting until the utilities guy arrived. He was pissed because his precinct was being forced to waste time and limited cash reserves to bust pot smokers and private 4-plant growers while a mexican meth cartel was growing stronger than the local police force. I doubt that cop will volunteer much assistance to enforce federal pot laws after today

[nabraxas]

will tourists be able to purchase or will you need someone w/a US passport to buy it for you?

either way, anyone up for a trip to Colorado around June/July next year?

return flights start at around $1500

Edited November 8, 2012 by nabraxas

[Psylo]

http://sherman-ave.com/2012/11/07/taco-bell-announces-plan-to-expand-in-colorado-washington/

[Psylo]

^^^ posted at 4:20 ^^^