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YOU DON'T HAVE TO SMOKE

Recreational Marijuana Now Fully Legal In Washington

Sticky icky can now be smoked legally, but will it be one toke over the line?

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by PolitixMayday

Staff Writer t

Image: AP

Washington residents took to the toke on Thursday, as recreational marijuana officially became legal by state law. But the legalized bong hits and brownies of questionable repute may not last, as pot still remains illegal under federal law.

The Department of Justice said its enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act will remain the same, and it'll continue to enforce federal law within the state. Both Washington and Colorado legalized marijuana by state initiatives in the 2012 election. A legal showdown between the states and the federal government is likely, though the DOJ hasn't given any indication if and when it'll sue to block state regulatory schemes.

Washington state law now allows residents 21 and older to carry up to an ounce of marijuana on them at any given time. Technically, residents cannot smoke in public, though enforcement of pot laws are low among state police priorities.

The state still has a year to come up with a system of state-licensed growers, processers, and retailers, so weed cannot be bought legally within the state, save for medical marijuana. All legal marijuana sales will be taxed.

Via Boston and Politico.
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  • View all 13 replies >

  • o
    Cool_voter
    !
    Freedom.
    Anyone who disagrees and says it shouldn't be is a fool, and have fallen victim to the federal governments macarthyistic views on pot.
    See:reefer madness, and try not to laugh, than remember, that was a serious film big Uncle Sam said was true
  • u
    IMAQT
    !
    Many prohibitionist falsely assume that just because you are against the war on drugs, you must be a pothead. For myself, on issues that involve freedom, I side with freedom as long as freedom is no harm to others. 70 years ago they made pot illegal, today they are making large sodas. transfats and happy meals illegal. It is hard to say where we could be in another 70 years.
  • hankf68
    !
    @IMAQT ...agreed, but pot doesn't kill, big macs can and do, but, of course the munchies side effects could be dangerous in regards to said big mac, so I think, smoke in moderation with plenty of the good, healthy kind of munchies at home, if possible, making pots dangers nullified, no excuse for not legalizing then, lol, although big pharma and the logging industries heavyweights, along with all involved filling their pockets via the "drug" war budget may try to convince you otherwise :)
  • u
    IMAQT
    !
    So are you saying that people are not driving while high now? Are you saying that folks that never drove while smoking pot, will do it because it is legal? In my state, DUI applies to marijuana as well. And one other thing, half of all traffic accidents are attributed to alcohol, the most abused drug of all, would you support making alcohol illegal, after all it far more harmful than all other drugs..combined? Or would you prefer to have the government pick and choose what should be illegal and what should be legal?
  • u
    IMAQT
    !
    @tomincali Drugs are not as much of a problem as the illegality in the drugs. Once again, do you support the prohibition of alcohol a far more dangerous substance than marijuana? Or do you prefer to to have government pick and choose for us?
  • u
    hybridlment
    !
    @tomincali Marijuana, the most innocuous of drugs, stays in the system for up to a month; cocaine and opiates, a matter of hours/days. I see no reason to fire anyone who smoked weed 2 weekends ago from the job they're doing today. High on the job? Yes. Unfortunately, it's either positive or negative.
  • u
    Libertyiskey
    !
    @tomincali I'd support all drugs being legal. It'd still be illegal to sell it illegally, we wouldn't even have to get rid of the dea or maybe we'd combine them with ATF where they'd still make sure that kids aren't getting it that the illegal manufacturing of it is caught it'd still be illegal to drive under the influence of any of them just like it is illegal today for somebody to be driving under the influence of a drug including prescribed medication. If you come into work drunk now it's a fireable offense you can still fire somebody for being on drugs. The only difference would be that crime rates would go down the black market dealers would shrink so less drug gang/cartel deaths because people wouldn't be dealig with them just like when prohibition ended the gangs that were bootlegging lost all control and crime dropped.

  • View all 10 replies >

  • HPthinker
    !
    personally i embelish the cuts and tax raises. we need to have an ammendment that caps federal spending at 21.5% of gdp regardless of whats comming in. Make it taxing weed... LOL
  • puppybrownie
    !
    I would love to see pot become a huge, legal, industry without government interference.
    I already have a couple of million dollar ideas that would generate lots of tax dollars for the greedy spendaholic liberals!
  • puppybrownie
    !
    @PoliticalSpice I'll leave the farming to others, I'm more of the entrepreneur. But, I can see a Pot-Mart where growers and smokers can legally do business. Makes sense to me!
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    If most drugs were legal the associated criminal violence would be removed. The cost of arresting, trails, incarceration (one quarter all in prison for drug related crime) would go away, the money could be more productively spent. People will not all of a sudden decide to become drug addicts. And making it criminal has not prevented the use or addition to the illegal drugs. With exception of drugs that cause paranioa and thus lead to violence (stimulants like amphetamine and cocaine) opiates and depressants could be legalized for adults. Of people want to endanger there health, as with alcohol and tobacco, a free society should permit that choice...
  • Zazziness
    !
    I used Google Earth to check and it turns out Washington is still on the map and doing fine. I've heard so many frantic scare stories from Prohibitionists over the years, I assumed upon legalization the state would either be wiped from the Earth by a vengeful God with a poor set of priorities or there would be immediate rioting as marauding bands of drug-crazed hippies roamed the streets in search of Republican daughters to corrupt...But nada. Life goes on just as before. I should have suspected as much.
  • harold
    !
    Treat marijuana like alcohol, vaccinate cocaine and meth users when busted, and treat heroin addicts at clinics. Crime will decrease as well as drug gang activity.
  • MarkJM
    !
    Should go without saying. If someone wants to get stoned in the comfort of his/her own home and they are not bothering anyone, then they should be allowed to do so. Legalize it and tax the hell out of it.
  • Barbi_Schukofs
    !
    Truth be known, pot has to better for a person than alcohol. I do not believe that a doctor anywhere would prescribe daily use of whisky for a patient with any type of disease, however pot has been proven to be useful in the treatment of many diseases.
  • truthsayer
    !
    Yes legalize it. Prohibition is an excuse for larger government expense and personal. People who want government enforcement of the ban just want the government to parent individuals. It shocks me that some conservatives actually want tax money spent on things like this. All things that make us feel uncomfortable or don't like for some reason or other shouldn't be illegal. You want smaller government and less intrusion? Well quit asking the government to protect your sense of morality. It takes money to enforce and absolutely has no positive effect. You don't like like it don't smoke it. You don't like gays don't be gay. You don't like pornography don't watch it. You don't like whats on TV turn it off. You don't like gambling don't gamble. Basically tend you own business let others tend theirs. Last time I heard it was a free country I know its a lie but maybe we can pretend it is and act like it is toward each other.
  • Barbi_Schukofs
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    Like your plan Robert. I do not smoke anything and I rarely ever drink, but I think it is insane, considering that something as damaging to your bodyas alcohol and cigarettes are legal yet something with true medical benefits is not.
  • Keyjo
    !
    Legalize and tax weed, meth, coke, heroin and end the unwinnable "war on drugs." Take the revenue and money saved and have a universal health care plan available to every legal American citizen.
  • Buzzfriendly
    !
    I am hopeful that once the fiscal numbers come roiling in after a couple of years that other less fortunate states take notice and decide to jump on the bandwagon. This is low hanging fruit states could be collecting revenue on.
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