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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Washington and Colorado: The Legalization of Pot

Borderland Beat
 
Two articles from Washington and Colorado, voters approved the pot initiative making pot legal for recreational use over the age of 21.  I long held the belief that this would pass in Washington but frankly am surprised it passed this go around in Colorado.  Oregon and California will be next to legalize marijuana.  With some of the best mota grown on the west coast, and cartels illegally growing it in public forest land it will be interesting to see if or how it effects Mexican mota trafficking in that region.....Paz, Chivis
Celebrating in Colorado though a bit premature as the law is not in effect as yet
Seattle Times:

Washington enthusiastically leapt into history Tuesday, becoming the first state, with Colorado, to reject federal drug-control policy and legalize recreational marijuana use.
Initiative 502 was winning 55 to 45 percent, with support from more than half of Washington's counties, rural and urban.
The vote puts Washington and Colorado to the left of the Netherlands on marijuana law, and makes them the nexus of a new social experiment with uncertain consequences. National and international media watched as vote counts rolled into I-502's election-night party in Seattle amid jubilant cheers.
"I'm going to go ahead and give my victory speech right now. After this I can go sit down and stop shaking," said Alison Holcomb, I-502's campaign manager and primary architect.
"Today the state of Washington looked at 75 years of national marijuana prohibition and said it is time for a new approach," she said.
As of Dec. 6, it will no longer be illegal for adults 21 and over to possess an ounce of marijuana. A new "drugged driving" law for marijuana impairment also kicks in then.
Tuesday's vote also begins a yearlong process for the state Liquor Control Board to set rules for heavily taxed and regulated sales at state-licensed marijuana stores, which are estimated to raise $1.9 billion in new revenue over five years.
Many legal experts expect the U.S. Justice Department, which remained silent during presidential-year politics, to push back and perhaps sue to block I-502 based on federal supremacy.
But Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said Seattle's U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan told him Tuesday the federal government "has no plans, except to talk."
Initiative 502 ran a disciplined campaign with a tightly focused message, criticizing what it called the failed "war on drugs" without endorsing marijuana use itself.
A study, released late in the campaign, found more than 67,000 arrests for low-level marijuana possession in the past five years in Washington, with African Americans and Latinos arrested at widely disproportionate rates.
I-502 spent heavily, raising more than $6 million, including more than $2 million from Peter B. Lewis of Ohio, chairman of Progressive Insurance.
Mexico jumped on the headlines right way read here
A broad group of mainstream leaders — including former top federal law-enforcement officials, the King County sheriff, the entire Seattle City Council, public-health experts, African-American leaders and the state labor council — backed the measure. John McKay, U.S. attorney in Seattle under the George W. Bush administration, became a public face of the campaign.
The initiative faced surprisingly little organized opposition. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs and a state drug-treatment-prevention group were opposed, but did not raise money to counter I-502's $2.8 million TV-ad spending in October.
At debates, police and treatment providers predicted I-502 would lead to marijuana use, especially among teenagers. "It is a grave social injustice to trade the right of a minority to get 'high' for the right of youth to grow up drug free," said Derek Franklin, president of the drug-treatment group.
The loudest opposition came from some in the medical-marijuana industry, who said they feared being ensnared by I-502's DUI law, which does not exempt patients.
The DUI law also sets a zero-tolerance level for marijuana for drivers under 21, significantly stiffening current law.
Initiative 502 does not change the medical-marijuana law, leading to allegations that opposition from the industry was self-serving.
Tuesday's result was quickly hailed by activists such as Keith Stroup, founder of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. He called I-502 "the single most important thing in the marijuana legalization movement in the last 75 years," and predicted it will become a template for other states to confront the federal ban on marijuana.
 
"That's exactly what happened at the end of alcohol prohibition. I think that's exactly what's going to happen here," Stroup said.
 
CBS Denver:
The statewide amendment to legalize marijuana use for adults in Colorado has passed.
Amendment 64 supporters were ecstatic at their gathering in Denver Tuesday night when news came down.
“Marijuana prohibition has failed in Colorado and it has failed in all sorts of other places,” Amendment 64 advocacy director Betty Aldworth told CBS4. “I’m so proud and so honored to have worked with this team of people and to live in a state where people recognize marijuana prohibition is a failure and we can do better.
Colorado
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The amendment allows adults over 21 to possess as much as an ounce of pot. It also allows people to grow as many as six pot plants in secure, private areas.
Supporters believe legalization will generate tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue for Colorado.
The approval of the amendment puts Colorado in defiance of federal drug law.
“It’s still against federal law,” Gov. John Hickenlooper told CBS News anchor Scott Pelley about an hour later. “I’m not sure we can make it as legal as the voters would like us to do. But clearly the will of the voters spoke.”
Hickenlooper, who opposed the measure, said it’s “not immediately apparent” how the amendment will hold up against the national law.
Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office released a statement after the measure’s passage, saying the “Department of Justice’s enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged.”
“In enacting the Controlled Substances Act, Congress determined that marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance. We are reviewing the ballot initiative and have no additional comment at this time,” Dorschner said.
State voters rejected recreational pot in 2006, but Aldworth said this measure comes at a time when voters have a different mindset, thanks in part to the burgeoning medical marijuana industry in several areas of the state.
“Amendment 64 is quite different from Amendment 44 in 2006 in that it envisions the regulated model for marijuana sales whereas Amendment 44 only decriminalized for adult use,” she said. “What we know is that Colorado voters have accepted the idea that we can regulate marijuana like alcohol successfully and we can make a safer, healthier and more just Colorado by doing so.”
The measure had the backing of the NAACP, the ACLU and the state public defender’s office, but most major state leaders came out in opposition.
Roger Sherman, the No on 64 campaign director, released a statement just after 9 p.m. on Election Day conceding the race:
“We knew all along this was an uphill battle against a well-funded national movement. We appreciate the efforts of Governor John Hickenlooper, former Governors Bill Owens and Bill Ritter, Attorney General John Suthers, Mayors Michael Hancock and Steve Hogan and countless other sheriffs, county commissioners, district attorneys and local elected officials who joined with the business community and citizens of Colorado to oppose this ill-conceived amendment.
“We can only hope that our concerns and fears about amending the Constitution to make Colorado the first state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana do not come true.”
The states of Oregon and Washington also had pot legalization amendments on the ballot, and at least one of those states — Washington — also approved their measure.
Colorado is already one of 17 states that allow marijuana use by people with certain medical conditions.
Another interesting read is a document titled "International Drug Control Treaties-How Important are They to United States Drug ReformREAD HERE (Mclatchy's Blog)
 

44 comments:

  1. That Mexican brick weed is shit compared to the mota grown by the US people. If it's legal to own it, you can bet they will be growing it and selling. Ja Ja just watch the stupid ass cartels try to control it in those states. Well, we got two words for you. Fuck You.

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  2. Weed es para los mayates.. la raza le ponemos al polvo..

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    1. Polvo is for junkies and ppl whose life is so shitty that they have the need for it, go back to your hole. Roko

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    2. Apoco sabes español mayate... jajaja siguele con tus blunts y pinche rick ross y jay z y mamaditas wey... el gallo no es para culos mayates sin feria pa gastar y que quieren apestar a caca todo el dia.. either way; way to go for these states showing the initiative to blaze a trail... jajaja

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    3. Speak for yourself pendejo, vales verga y das pena

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    4. El Polvo es para los pendejos.. pinches vatos vale verga Que necesitan droga para andar "al 100%".. eres un chiste como tu musica de pendejos, los corridos alterados .. esa musica es una verguenza para los Mexicanos trabajadores.. todo los Que escuchan musica "alterada" trabajan en la construcion de dia y de noche secreen mafiosos..

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    5. Los corridos chingones y el polvo existian mucho antes que tus mamadas alteradas de las que tanto hablas pendejo.. las conoses bien, te gustan? Y a ti quien te dijo que a mi me gustan las joterias alteradas? No mames wey; existen bastantes corridos que no tienen nada que ver con los alterados.. y que tiene que la raza jale en la construccion pendejo, no te aguites nomas por que jefe trabaja ayi y tu le sacas a la chamba como los mayates... la raza que se creén mayates son igual que los jotos alterados que se creén mafiosos, son lo mismo

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  3. First off much much better quality weed is grown here in the states. The dirt weed from mexico doesnt come close. Theres not roaming convoys of armed men toting guns dumping bodys and being proud of ruining their country. Dont get me wrong we do have ignorant people who think living the hood dream is cool and wearing their pants below their ass is fashionable for some reason. They are the same ones complaining of being targeted by the police, but making yourself an easy target smoking blunts in public and wearing your lifestyle on your sleeves has consequences. Stop playing the race card. If you dont use drugs or get involved in drug activities you most likely wont get arrested so stop making excuses for your choices.

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    1. You are 100% correct. Let the bad ass cartel try and take away from the legal pot owners. We have a thing called 911 here. I haven't smoked pot since college but even then the dealers would rat out anyone who tried to take their pot. Now I'm certain they will just call the police on them. And, it's still a felony here unless you get a script for it.Many have gotten a hard 25 years here. Game on.

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  4. I just hope something good comes out of this. Saludos from Vancouver, WA

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  5. Haha washington the land of heavy metal and Ganja mon...smoke de reefa be happy mon.

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    1. Rasta mon...Bob Marley smokin ganja and playin cricket in heaven mon.

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  6. thats 1 way to stop 1 drug from cumin from mexico.TODO PARA UN MUNDO MEJOR

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  7. I highly doubt the cartels are interested in controlling
    Washington much less Colorado. The so called shitty Mexicanbrickweed will still make money someway some how. just a theory.

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  8. I would never disrespect my marijuana by rolling it in tobacco! Blunts are lame!

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  9. Forget VALUES, forget THE FAMILY UNIT, LIFE IS ALL ABOUT LIVE FOR TODAY, FORGET YOUR CHILDREN's FUTURE & TO HELL WITH EVERYTHING, LET's ALL FOCUS ON DRUG DEPENDENCY! ¿We need to fight for DRUGS BEING CENTRAL TO OUR HAPPINESS?!

    What a deception
    !

    Dr M.P., Mexicana

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    1. I think your talking about pills, an alcohol, not weed

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  10. Legalising drugs will not stop the cartels from trying to control the supply chain.
    The turf wars will go on!!
    Only fiercer this time around.

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  11. So excited and glad about this whole thing, there's dispensaries all over town already! People are pretty open about pot up here in the rockies and to be honest prohibition wasn' t really enforced all that much unless you where into some other kind of troubles but know i guess it's official and people won't be required to be registered with the state as a patient to use it or grow it. ROKO

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  12. Mexico Unido...

    Either you are unaware or forgotten the HUGE presense cartels have in Wa, Ore and Ca in the federal forest lands and farms they have squatted on. They grow it right there on site. What I am hoping since police forces won't be wasting time going after growers they can use resources to concentrate on the Mexican squatters. In the past they said they simply did not have enough resource.

    There is a couple of great YT vids on it. national geo and cnn has a few on YT

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    1. What about when people run out of money to buy weed what do u think they will do to get money this weed is not cheap and the cartel have lots of money they gona start growing indoors and corner the market buy selling it cheaper hello they will find a way to make $dont underestimate and brick weed in the rio grand valley is good I smoke just fine

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  13. Dr. M.P. is right. The rest of you mongoloids are suuupiiid.

    The wonderful thing about mj is that it is completely harmless. It's good for your health, makes you feel good and has no side effects. It also makes sick people feel like they are well. I'm so proud of the people in Colorado and Washington for doing their part in the war against the mexican cartels. Now they won't be able to sell any mj in these states. That will reduce their profits and the sicarios will get jobs at the 7-11.

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  14. 12:26AM

    If only it were that simple. Although 60% of all illegal drug use is mota, it remains to be seen how much it will have an impact. To have a great impact the entire US will have to make it legal for recreational use. and that will happen, but even then there will be a market for cheap pot. Like everything else in life markets for high-med-and low end product. Now if the US cultivtes a "econo" line that would have great impact.

    That said, narcos won't be flipping burgers over the legal use of pot in the US. 50% of their business is now diversifications. The intellectual market products are the greatest money makers. and they have a home market for those goods. Plus the expansion of their drug products overseas.

    remember they evolve with market changes. CDG began trafficking alcohol in the prohibition. and changed to drugs after. though some cartels still sell knock off booze.

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  15. The cartel has $ they gona open a store to sell weed they fina start ti grow it in the usa oh wait they alresdy do

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  16. Haaa this is not going to change anything of what is hapening in mexico even if they ligalize all types of drugs in the usa and I the world nothing will really change in mexico why because in mexico the real fucking problem is poverty extream fucking poverty for a very large portion of. The population. So they will go on to do kidnapings and extortions. rabbing pleople etc because a lot of people who join in the cartels for them this is just a way out extream poverty or a oportunity of getting a job come on people you fucking know I'm right.

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    1. Yea there gonna "rab" alot of ppl haha

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  17. 12:26 am, slow down my friend!! After the smoke clears try reading Dr. M. P.'s comment again.

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    1. I think he is confused, he ment alcohol an pills woops

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  18. "Forget VALUES, forget THE FAMILY UNIT"
    "LET's ALL FOCUS ON DRUG DEPENDENCY"
    "Dr M.P., Mexicana"
    I had to reiterate this point because it is the most pertinent.I have always said people are such sheep,no doubt a lot of people will be thinking how clever and independent thinking they are,,,,when we have starving babies,unemployment,discontent,violence,job losses,all that good shit?But hey,lets have a serious and in-depth discussion on the very important issue of whether we should legalize smoking ganja?I thought people smoked it anyway?
    A lot of people don't even vote on electing presidents,i know,"who do you vote for when they all basically bought the presidency"somehow i,m not that excited by this very important issue?

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  19. "Dr. M.P. is right. The rest of you mongoloids are suuupiiid"
    One of us is very stupid?Have you ever heard of sarcasm?No,it went right over your head.Hard to believe i know,but it did?

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  20. "I would never disrespect my marijuana by rolling it in tobacco! Blunts are lame"
    No,but you will disrespect people?Are you a green connoisseur?
    "disrespect my marijuana" ?
    Let the comment speak for itself ?

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    1. One comment is fine, but we can all tell by the time line you just go on down the line and comment on everyone else's statement. Your the type of person who worries about what everyone else is doing instead of worrying about your self, your pathetic and I bet your failing in life because of it!

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  21. That's all well and fine but what's going to happen when legal weed begins to fall into the hands of children? Making it legal will not doubt make it more accessible to the under age...much like cigarettes and alcohol! I have no real issues with legalizing marijuana because the dangers of alcohol are far worse but I don't agree that this was a smart move.

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    1. You agree alcohol, which is legal, is far worse.... why was this not a smart move again?

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  22. Idiots. With all the problems we have, legalizing weed and getting high is not going to solve a damn thing. Put down your bongs, get a job and take care of your family.

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    1. Some people like to smoke AFTER a hard day at work genius!

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  23. look at that it dnt have side effects.idk but most of my friends that di it look like ther mentaly retarted or what u call in the streets natural high i have to ask them if there high cuz the way they look and respond to "?" is not a normal behavior. but i guess thats not a side effect

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  24. Progress in America? The spread of more legal drugs. Goods and services are now provided by the Govt. as a right? 47% do not pay income taxes,White people are now in the Minority. Raise taxes on people who make 200k or more,print and inject billions of dollars into the economy thru govt programs without limit. Its a matter of time until the entire USA will be a slum, Hello Grease.

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  25. 11/8 6:01PM,
    Not a smart move...legalizing a substance that has been proven to be detrimental to one's health. Plus, as previous stated weed will now be easily accessible to the underage, who will no doubt think it's the "cool thing to do!" IMO, the people I have been around that smoke that shit on a daily basis (I'm talking years, as long as I've known them) suffer from short term memory loss, constant and persistent coughing, and have pretty much have gone no where in life! All they care about is smoking another joint! Oh yea, they have no job because of the drug testing that is required...so they rather stay unemployed and live off family and charity than give up the weed! But hey, each to their own!

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  26. "One comment is fine, but we can all tell by the time line"
    Oh shit i never noticed that,do you spend your time looking at the time line?You gotta get out more.

    Baggy~b

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  27. Wow!! Lets CREATE another uninspiring generation of slow thinkers. Lets create a larger population of drug users to solve the environmental and financials problems of our country.

    I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY DID NOT LEGALIZE CRACK AND HEROIN SO THAT WE CAN TAX AND USE LEGALLY IN THE PRIVACY OF OUR HOMES. I RATHER HAVE A BROAD SELECTION OF CHOICES THAN JUST CIGARETTES, ALCOHOL, AND MARIJUANA.

    IT IS SAD TO SEE ELEMENTARY CHILDREN COMING TO SCHOOL STINKING OF POT FROM RESIN FROM THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT. IT IS DISRUPTIVE TO EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM. WONDERFUL IDEA TO LET THE WHOLE POPULATION GROW A PUNGENTLY STICKY PLANT. JUST LET PHILIP MORRIS OR PEPSI DO IT ALL. NOT 6 PLANTS FOR THE WHOLE POPULATION IN COLORADO.

    ALTHOUGH WAKE AND BAKE EVERYDAY LEGALLY WITHOUT HIDING BEFORE GOING IN TO TEACH A BUNCH OF BRATTY CHILDREN SOUNDS HIGHLY APPEALING. :p

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    1. Well... maybe you can get a contact high from the kids and CHILL OUT SOME

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