Many Washington marijuana activists oppose legalization initiative

Well 502 is obviously not perfect, but it's a step. I dont see any reason that someone pro full legalization would appose it.

 

The dispensary system seems like an intermediary step to legalization from where I'm standing. In some districts the police won't even bother coming after you if you possess weed that did not come from a dispensary, if you are a dispensary cardholder. A lot of people are paying the on-site doctors at dispensaries to write prescriptions for medical marijuana just so that they can have that legal coverage if they're ever caught for possession.

Giving the dispensaries more power does not give the government more power, I don't see how you can draw that line. Sure, the dispensaries can be taxed, but those dollars will eventually make the government and corporate powers salivate into wanting it legalized. Remember, it was profit incentives that made pot illegal in the first place.

Legalization will eventually become a reality, but not if we shoot down every bill in the legislature for not fulfilling the end goal. There have to be a lot of imperfect steps before that point arrives.

 

There have to be a lot of imperfect steps before that point arrives.

WHY? What would we gain by voting in I-502 over I-514 next year..? Don't worry, 514 isn't perfect either, but it's going to be MUCH BETTER for us as a whole.


You can either support the first law that comes along, the one written by the ineffective and greedy politicians up in Olympia, or you can vote for 514.. a bill that was written by famous Marijuana legalization activists and is structured to end the hypocrisy

HOW FUCKING SILLY ARE WE GOING TO BE? If you guys legalize weed, how likely are the cops to be busting down your door to weigh your stash? Jesus Christ....

Except that if they do and find a small one or two plant grow in your closet, you'll be going away for a lot longer than you currently would have. That's going backwards, not forwards

 

people could grow some balls and grow some weed anyways...not like I feel bad for Washington, OMG you can't find marijuana ANYWHERE in Washington state it's SOOOOOOOOOOO DRYYYYYYYYYY there! if they think this is going to monopolize on it they are wrong. They might monopolize on the market of people who are not already smoking it or growing it because they're too stupid, scared of the law, or unwilling to get their ass to the nearest Barnes and Noble, and I could give a fuck if those people get taxed.

 

Exactly how I feel man. We have to take what we can get at the current time as far as legalization efforts go. I can't wait for the day where all stoners can enjoy Marijuana without fear of prosection.

The government wont ever let that happen, even if it is not against the law it will be taxed and revenued up the ass. Growers will still have to have a license and people who want to carry it around will too. It will cause an end to a drug war started years ago, and then after the MM realizes that their beloved number 1 seller is now legal they will increase other drugs into the US creating a higher crime rate all around. I am ever so on the side to legalize it, but do I think it will happen? No, Do I think it's a good idea? No. I think it should be the way it is now, relaxed laws, maybe even more, and less harsh consiquences for the higher ups.

If Washington passes, so will Oregon and maybe Cali, All the west coast states are for Marijuana. (Probably cause it grows so damn stanky over here).
I know lots of Oregon bills that have been tried to pass legalizing it, a couple years ago Cali did the same... But it never went through. I think the Gov. is scared, Scared that if they legalize it they will have to deal with the MM (Mexican Mafia) and other gangs who flurish off of it.

I don't believe at all that one day we will all just have big pot plants growing all over our yards and sitting lawns lighting fat ones up around all the American "Christians" and Reps and anyone else who is an uptight douche.

We can only hope that the voters will pass this the right way.

 

^the Oregon initiative is trailing in the polls

 

^^ Probably cause we are all too high to vote :D

 

in Oregon Measure 80 supports raised over 4 million, while opponents only got 6k.....if it passes in oregon we can grow it ourselves or get a license to sell to the state and it'll sell from stores much like a liqour store here.

Its looking very promising here

 

^^Yeah well it's been on the ballot every year, so I am still waiting. Been waiting 22 years haha.

 

WHY? What would we gain by voting in I-502 over I-514 next year..? Don't worry, 514 isn't perfect either, but it's going to be MUCH BETTER for us as a whole.


You can either support the first law that comes along, the one written by the ineffective and greedy politicians up in Olympia, or you can vote for 514.. a bill that was written by famous Marijuana legalization activists and is structured to end the hypocrisy



Except that if they do and find a small one or two plant grow in your closet, you'll be going away for a lot longer than you currently would have. That's going backwards, not forwards

I completely disagree. we should all be looking at the big picture here, rather than picking at the small details! The big picture being that even if I-502 doesn't pass, the ball has been rolling since the legalization and regulation of marijuana for medical use in the united states. This was a huge step in that it showed the use of cannabis in a completely different light; what was once viewed as a harmful, entirely illicit act, can now be utilized for healing and therapy.

If I-502 passes i see it as a necessary step as well. that is if we want to, some day, see the complete decriminalization of marijuana nation wide. While passing regulated cannabis use for medical purposes opened the door for the evangelism of weed, lets not forget; the only way that the legal use of cannabis for the general public will EVER pass anywhere in the U.S is if it has enough economical merit. So, obviously if we WANT to move forwards with this movement we'll all have to tolerate some significant government regulation, at least for now.

At this point, i see nothing that could be viewed as "moving backwards". The argument your making is comparable to someone saying, "oh, if we legalize weed for medical use, were just giving up!" well guess what? Because of medical marijuana, we literally are now 14 days away from being able to run to the grocery store, pick up a gallon of milk, loaf of bread, and maybe that "dub sack" you were feigning too.

On a more personal note:

I don't see the need to grow, nor would I mind spending a couple extra bucks for my weed when i know that its high quality, not laced with PCP without my knowing, and ill never have one of those days (you know what I,m talking about). where i really need a sack but for some odd reason every dealer In the try-state area is out! all at the same time!!! WTF is that?

I-502 all the way!!!

 

I wish my weed were laced with PCP.

 

Folley and others with similar reasons for opposing I502,

I have to say, your points are absolutely bullshit. First of all, although I know Seattle folks have this myopic view that Seattle is the only place in Wa and everyone lives there, and that marijuana is treated just like it is in Seattle through the rest of the state, I have some news for you, it is not. People still get arrested and charged with a misdemeanor all the time for simple possession in Wa, and this can happen in Seattle too if you happen to get caught by an asshole Cop. Do you really want the cop to be able to decide if they can arrest you or not. Also, I saw that you think "growing isn't even a felony, iirc", well I've got some more news for you. You do not remember correctly, any amount of cultivation or distribution is a felony in Wa (except for Medical marijuana).

Do not be fooled into thinking Wa is currently some utopia of pot tolerance, it isnt. Seattle is more lax, but most of the state is not in Seattle and is in fact relatively conservative. The fact is that I-502 allows for legal possession and will stop local and state police from arresting people and fucking their lives up with a misdemeanor charge for something as silly as marijuana possession. If the home cultivation issue is so important than it can amended in the future. Stupid initiatives are on the ballot constantly in Wa (I live here), and you could try to get one on to allow home cultivation. Frankly, I find it extremely frustrating that so many in the 'pot community' are so brainwashed with this anti-govt, anti business bullshit that they are not willing to take the biggest step towards full marijuana legalization in 80yrs, that is, making marijuana legal for people to possess. Vote for both if you want, but dont vote against I-502 just because you 'wanna be able to grow legally' (most pot users wouldn't grow just as most beer drinkers don't brew) or 'dont wanna put growers outta work,' frankly a stupid argument if I have ever heard one.

I am sorry to be so forceful, but I feel like I need to help snap some of you guys back to reality. I cannot stand this nitpicking, people need to realize that without states legalizing possession of marijuana, it will never happen on a federal level. Also, remember that hard alcohol has similar restrictions to those that would placed on mj (including no home production), and it isn't exactly a travesty. What IS A TRAVESTY, is people getting arrested in Wa for possessing marijuana and having to deal with all the problems that accompany that charge (loss of job, loss of student aid, legal costs, criminal record, etc). Vote for I502 if you live in WA and we can work out any kinks later.

The main point is this: Legal possession is better than no legal possession, if you cannot see that then there is no help for you, and remember that the legal position for growers will remain the same whether or not this passes because it is already a felony to produce marijuana in any amount.

BTW I dont mean to personally insult anyone, i just want to make sure that it is clear that weed is not 'practically legal' in Wa already, as many still suffer as a result of the ongoing marijuana possession arrests in WA. Seattle is tolerant of marijuana, that is true, and WA is better than a lot of states, but it certainly is not practically legal.

 

My mail in ballot is sitting in the kitchen and I still haven't decided how to vote on this, interesting initiative...

The bill is far from perfect, the real question is whether this will start the process of changing Federal law.

Good link: Deconstructing I-502

 

yeah, the percentage of nanograms allowed, from the sweat extracted from a drivers steering wheel, to match or exceed the stipulated measurement, is enough to lock someone up for DUI, who hasnt smoked in months.

_______
amongst more

 

yeah, the percentage of nanograms allowed, from the sweat extracted from a drivers steering wheel, to match or exceed the stipulated measurement, is enough to lock someone up for DUI, who hasnt smoked in months

No offence man, but that's an extremely stonerish things to say. You can't seriously be so paranoid as to believe they will be testing people's steering wheels to find out if they have smoked anything. This would never stand up in court. You could easily get nanograms turning up in a piss sample just from second-hand cannabis smoke.

 

This is a tough one. On the one hand marijuana is, imo, definitely less harmful and addictive than alcohol and tobacco. On the other hand I have seen the medical marijuana patients abuse their privilege and sell their medication time and time again. I have watched grandparents smoke in front of grandchildren claiming "It's my medication damnit!" and then sell their extra to the parents of the children. Is that wrong or am I just a prude?

I know that getting through school is difficult enough for most without being stoned and teenage use will be on the rise without a doubt should the initiative pass.

Then there is the quagmire of DUI and I can see defense attorneys chomping at the bit to defend the cases of individuals who test above the "active metabolite". That has always been the biggest roadblock IMO to legalization. The inability to quantitate how much impairs inividuals. Maybe I have not read enough about just how they plan on testing people. Obviously, they are going to have to draw blood and that gets tricky.

Then again, it is a cash cow. But can government be trusted to use the money generated by the legal sale of marijuana?

I have always thought it should be legal or decriminalized but now that it might actually happen I have some doubts as to the efficacy of the idea.

It definitely needs to be decriminalized to a Schedule 2 drug. That is a no brainer. The fact that cocaine is schedule 2 and marijuana is Schedule 1 is laughable.

If I had not seen what it did to my a part of my family's children I would be all for it. I know that when I was a teen I would have never made it through high school with a decent GPA or any sense of desire to accomplish what I have if I were constantly stoned.

I am sorry but I am stuck at this point. It is a step in the right direction but is it a step or a long jump?

 

Yes, mother fuckers, you did it! Marijuana is now legal to possess in Washington and Colorado!

Well fucking done! Now let's hope the bug of sanity catches on to the rest of the world.

:D

 

No offence man, but that's an extremely stonerish things to say. You can't seriously be so paranoid as to believe they will be testing people's steering wheels to find out if they have smoked anything. This would never stand up in court. You could easily get nanograms turning up in a piss sample just from second-hand cannabis smoke.

Read the fine print, this is designed to stand up in court and generate revenue.

True freedom does not come from freedom in action, but knowledge of consequence.

 

^Why do you have to be such a pessimist about it? Jesus Christ, you've got your first two states legalizing cannabis since it became illegal 80 or so years ago, and you're still complaining. There's no use sitting around philosophically lamenting about freedom and "big government" - if you want things to change, then do it!

People have spoken through their votes, and they want cannabis (and probably other drugs) legal, which it now is in those states. This is the majority view now, and it is that majority view which is important, not the fine print. So no, freedom is not just about "knowledge of consequence" about what big government may do to you if they find residues of THC on your steering wheel, that's how a psychopath would think about things. It's about how the collective of people feel about the issue, which is entirely different.

The people of Colorado and Washington voted because they want cannabis legal, plain and simple. If there are any bumps in the road ahead, and there surely will be, they will be resolved in due course.

You can either get bogged down with despair about "fine print", or resolve to do your bit to try and better it. If you don't like the current law, then work on changing it. This is just the way things are.

 

I have watched grandparents smoke in front of grandchildren claiming "It's my medication damnit!" and then sell their extra to the parents of the children. Is that wrong or am I just a prude?

I saw some grandparents drink alcohol - a far more toxic and dangerous drug - in front of their grandkids.
Then, the parents had some, too!

 

Well 502 is obviously not perfect, but it's a step. I dont see any reason that someone pro full legalization would appose it.

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