Just a quick follow-up to yesterday’s post on the request for Rob McKenna to weigh in with his legal opinion on the recently vetoed medical marijuana bill. I just spoke with Rep. Roger Goodman who tells me that Congressman Jay Inslee will be sending a similar letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.
UPDATE: Dominic Holden has the most detailed explanation of why Gregoire’s partial veto is such a disaster. This doesn’t just leave us where we were before. This removes all of the gray area wiggle-room that allowed for progressive prosecutors like Dan Satterberg to allow for some dispensaries to quietly operate. Now, those dispensaries are clearly in violation of state law, meaning that thousands of medical marijuana patients who had access to medicine before this bill passed are likely fucked now.
I met up with Douglas Hiatt for a little bit yesterday afternoon, and he told a story of a woman who once had to rely on her teenage grandson to get marijuana for her at his high school. Governor Gregoire’s veto puts us back in that situation. And it’s not clear she has any interest in fixing it.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
I understand Gregoire’s position. Marijuana IS still illegal at the Federal level. NO state law would ‘prevent’ the ATF or such from breaking down your door. BOTH political parties (esp the Republicans) have pursued endless expansions and power for Federal ‘drug’ laws and programs…even if they claim to also believe in “states rights”. Basically this IS a cluster-fuck UNTIL the Feds stop this silly bullshit policy.
I voted for Gregoire, I voted for Obama..but on this issue, could Rossi or McCain have been any worse?
@2
McCain maybe. Rossi probably not.
“Basically this IS a cluster-fuck UNTIL the Feds stop this silly bullshit policy.”
Unfortunately i think you’re correct – at least about 80% correct. There’s not going to be a change until this state and the other states stand up and say, “Federal government, you’re wrong, and we’re not going to obey your stupid rules.” What we need is civil disobedience conducted at the states’ level.
The change is coming, though. I’ll see cannabis legalized within my lifetime. I intend to keep supporting Sensible Washington with a little money now and then and ask those who support sane drug laws to do the same. Thanks in advance!
@4
“I’ll see cannabis legalized within my lifetime.”
I wouldn’t count on it. People were saying the same thing back in the 60’s and 70’s..now a lot of those folks are dead..
It doesn’t matter which party is in power, they both have a vested interest in keeping things as they are…and that means continuing full bore with what has become a war on American citizens..