Support The Wire

Legalize Pot, Fed Law Still Trumps States!! I-502

Article by WashingtonStateWire. Published on Friday, November 04, 2011 EST.

Look Up, From The Campaigns, Look Forward To The Next One: Pot, Again

But What About The Federal Law?

It’s initiative 502. Short story? It decriminalized possession of up to one ounce of POT. No prescription required. 240K signatures needed. And you can probably go down to the capital and get a list of everyone who signs it. Yeppie.

But this thing is getting some money. Harriet Bullitt is reported in at 100K, Progressive Insurance Chairman Lewis dumped a new $200K bringing his total to $250K-ish.

At the state D party convention this summer delegates were told,simple marijuana possession charges now account for fully half of all drug arrests in Washington”. And there is a potential to raise $215 million in new tax revenue each year if Initiative 502 passes, among other things.

The idea is the state liquor stores will have something to sell after next Tuesday.

OK, so we have big people with big money going to bat for the ganja law. Also the Seattle Times reports, “Initiative 502 is sponsored by the ACLU of Washington and most prominently endorsed by former U.S. Attorney John McKay, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes and travel guru Rick Steves. If paid signature-gathering efforts succeed as expected, I-502 will go to the state Legislature this upcoming session. If the Legislature punts, the initiative will be on the November 2012 ballot.”

But, so what? So what if it passes? Will the feds come busting in and enforce the controlled substance provisions of federal law and start arresting Washington residents?

Steves may have some answers. He is going to be on a panel of learned folks at an event at Hale’s Ales

on the 16th. I’m going to ask him.

Hey Dude, can the feds trump the state pot law, like really? Bummer!! Oh, really liked your coaching on the trip to London last fall, good coverage.”


Your support matters.

Public service journalism is important today as ever. If you get something from our coverage, please consider making a donation to support our work. Thanks for reading our stuff.