Still a lot of activity on drug law reform in Washington state:
– The medical marijuana bill in the Senate, SB 5073, passed out of the Ways & Means Committee to the Rules Committee yesterday. There was one positive amendment, the elimination of the requirement that health-care providers provide quarterly reports of their authorization record and for patients to meet with their health care providers quarterly. But an attempt to restore arrest protection for those who refuse to sign up with the state registry failed.
– The Seattle Times has once again urged the legislature, and specifically House Speaker Frank Chopp, to hold a hearing on HB 1550, which would eliminate criminal penalties for marijuana possession and allow for sales through the existing state liquor stores. In response to the Seattle Times’ bold embrace of common sense solutions, Gil Kerlikowske (former Seattle Police Chief and now Obama’s Drug Czar) has requested a meeting with the Seattle Times editorial board.
– Sensible Washington has announced on its Facebook page that it’s re-filing their marijuana legalization initiative after initially receiving ballot language that they didn’t like. Sensible Washington hasn’t posted anything publicly as to why they didn’t like the ballot language or what (if anything) they’ve changed for their re-filing.
UPDATE: Ryan Blethen adds more thoughts on the reaction to the Seattle Times editorial that has the Drug Czar ready to fly across the country.
I wish Sensible Washington would hold off until next year to re-run their initiative, for three reasons. First, it’s an off-year election. If you thought last year’s turnout was small, wait until this year’s puny (and therefore more conservative) turnout. Second, resources spent on pushing the initiative this year could wait until next year when there’s a better chance to pass the initiative. And finally, voter fatigue. Pushing this issue year after year will wear people down, just like Dino Rossi has. Once the public feels like they’ve said “no” to a candidate or issue, they tend not to change their minds.
@1,
Yeah, it wold be better to have the initiative process run in the 2012 election cycle than having it in an off-year situation.
I’m confident that we will see a reform of the laws against cannabis in my lifetime. Here in WA, I see cannabis available for sale in our state’s liquor store system: “I’ll have a bottle of Jack Daniels, please, and 25 grams of ‘Northern Lights’!”
@1
If you thought last year’s turnout was small, wait until this year’s puny (and therefore more conservative) turnout.
I don’t know if that’s as true as it used to be. Off-year elections tend to limit themselves to the most politically tuned in. R71 certainly didn’t suffer from being in an odd election year.
The ACLU has a lot of the same concerns as you though.
Attempting to motivate chronic stoners to get off the couch and get signatures? LMFAO! It worked out so well last time right? LOL.
More of Lee’s stoner buddies go down:
http://www.bellinghamherald.co.....drugs.html
Good weekend all!
(Cough, hack! Whoa! Dude!)
@4
Attempting to motivate chronic stoners to get off the couch and get signatures? LMFAO! It worked out so well last time right?
Yeah, it did. In an all volunteer effort last year, over 200,000 signatures were collected.
The ones that make the ballot are generally the ones who can pay signature gatherers. They nearly made the ballot on volunteers alone. That’s quite impressive.
Again, I ask you. Are you coming here to have an intelligent debate, or are you coming here to make an ass of yourself again.
Dance, monkey, dance!
@4
I just clicked through to your link. They weren’t even busted with pot. They were busted with heroin and meth.
LOL!
Maybe we can find a class of first graders who can spend an hour with you every day explaining the news articles you find.
Awesome.
What exactly is your medical reason for your weed use again there Lee-boy?
Just askin’
And are you or aren’t you for the legalization off all narcotics, not just pot?
Father of the year award? Methinks definetly not. ;)
TJ @ 7,
Where, exactly, has Lee ever claimed to use pot medically?
Try, *TRY* for christsakes, to NOT be a fucking moron!
Mark1 @ 4,
Ahhh, yes. Your all-consuming obsession with Lee continues.
Sorry, Squirt, Lee is spoken for. But best wishes to you in finding a man who will add fulfillment to your life.
@7
What exactly is your medical reason for your weed use again there Lee-boy?
Wow, the stupidity is just breath-taking. I spoke pot – recreationally – about 1-2x a year.
And are you or aren’t you for the legalization off all narcotics, not just pot?
Father of the year award? Methinks definetly not. ;)
Drug use should not be a crime. Selling drugs can sometimes be a crime, and the most effective way to keep drug use down is to tightly control their sale to the adults who can use them responsibly. Giving the market over to criminal gangs is the absolute worst policy you can have.
I can guarantee you I’m a far better father than yours was if as an adult you’re anonymously making an ass of yourself on the internet. I’m sure your dad is very proud of that.
Jackass.