Smokers celebrate as Wash. legalizes marijuana
Photo
From left, Andre Edwards, G.E. Montoya, and J. Smiley pass around a glass pipe as they smoke marijuana, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, just after midnight at the Space Needle in Seattle. Possession of marijuana became legal in Washington state at midnight, and several hundred people gathered at the Space Needle to smoke and celebrate the occasion, even though the new law does prohibit public use of marijuana.
SEATTLE — The crowds of happy people lighting joints under Seattle’s Space Needle early Thursday morning with nary a police officer in sight bespoke the new reality: Marijuana is legal under Washington state law.
Hundreds gathered at Seattle Center for a New Year’s Eve-style countdown to 12 a.m., when the legalization measure passed by voters last month took effect. When the clock struck, they cheered and sparked up in unison.
A few dozen people gathered on a sidewalk outside the north Seattle headquarters of the annual Hempfest celebration and did the same, offering joints to reporters and blowing smoke into television news cameras.
“I feel like a kid in a candy store!” shouted Hempfest volunteer Darby Hageman. “It’s all becoming real now!”
Washington and Colorado became the first states to vote to decriminalize and regulate the possession of an ounce or less of marijuana by adults over 21. Both measures call for setting up state licensing schemes for pot growers, processors and retail stores. Colorado’s law is set to take effect by Jan. 5.
Technically, Washington’s new marijuana law still forbids smoking pot in public, which remains punishable by a fine, like drinking in public. But pot fans wanted a party, and Seattle police weren’t about to write them any tickets.
In another sweeping change for Washington, Gov. Chris Gregoire on Wednesday signed into law a measure that legalizes same-sex marriage. The state joins several others that allow gay and lesbian couples to wed.
The mood was festive in Seattle as dozens of gay and lesbian couples got in line to pick up marriage licenses at the King County auditor’s office early Thursday.
King County and Thurston County announced they would open their auditors’ offices shortly after midnight Wednesday to accommodate those who wanted to be among the first to get their licenses.
Kelly Middleton and her partner Amanda Dollente got in line at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Hours later, as the line grew, volunteers distributed roses and a group of men and women serenaded the waiting line to the tune of “Going to the Chapel.”
Because the state has a three-day waiting period, the earliest that weddings can take place is Sunday.
In dealing with marijuana, the Seattle Police Department told its 1,300 officers on Wednesday, just before legalization took hold, that until further notice they shall not issue citations for public marijuana use.
Officers will be advising people not to smoke in public, police spokesman Jonah Spangenthal-Lee wrote on the SPD Blotter. “The police department believes that, under state law, you may responsibly get baked, order some pizzas and enjoy a ‘Lord of the Rings’ marathon in the privacy of your own home, if you want to.”
He offered a catchy new directive referring to the film “The Big Lebowski,” popular with many marijuana fans: “The Dude abides, and says ‘take it inside!’”
“This is a big day because all our lives we’ve been living under the iron curtain of prohibition,” said Hempfest director Vivian McPeak. “The whole world sees that prohibition just took a body blow.”
Washington’s new law decriminalizes possession of up to an ounce for those over 21, but for now selling marijuana remains illegal. I-502 gives the state a year to come up with a system of state-licensed growers, processors and retail stores, with the marijuana taxed 25 percent at each stage. Analysts have estimated that a legal pot market could bring Washington hundreds of millions of dollars a year in new tax revenue for schools, health care and basic government functions.
But marijuana remains illegal under federal law. That means federal agents can still arrest people for it, and it’s banned from federal properties, including military bases and national parks.
The Justice Department has not said whether it will sue to try to block the regulatory schemes in Washington and Colorado from taking effect.
“The department’s responsibility to enforce the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged,” said a statement issued Wednesday by the Seattle U.S. attorney’s office. “Neither states nor the executive branch can nullify a statute passed by Congress” — a non-issue, since the measures passed in Washington and Colorado don’t “nullify” federal law, which federal agents remain free to enforce.
The legal question is whether the establishment of a regulated marijuana market would “frustrate the purpose” of the federal pot prohibition, and many constitutional law scholars say it very likely would.
That leaves the political question of whether the administration wants to try to block the regulatory system, even though it would remain legal to possess up to an ounce of marijuana.
Alison Holcomb is the drug policy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and served as the campaign manager for New Approach Washington, which led the legalization drive. She said the voters clearly showed they’re done with marijuana prohibition.
“New Approach Washington sponsors and the ACLU look forward to working with state and federal officials and to ensure the law is fully and fairly implemented,” she said.
Dec 7, 2012 at 12:14 p.m.
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I actually wonder if Obama may change the federal laws or something like that in his final year as President .
Dec 7, 2012 at 9:28 a.m.
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As soon as you said, "I think...", I knew you were being dishonest.
Dec 7, 2012 at 6:25 a.m.
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RAF-I think your being too hard on your right wing sycophants.
Dec 7, 2012 at 3:07 a.m.
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My previous post is my experience around the number of people mentioned, not opinion. All can say what they want here, however I was there at those time points, it's just that simple.
Dec 7, 2012 at 2 a.m.
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Wisconsin NORML , National Organization For Reform Of Marijuana Laws
http://www.winorml.org/blog/
Dec 7, 2012 at 1:57 a.m.
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I laugh every time I see hypocrites telling others not to be hypocrites...more fun from the party do as I say not as I do.
Dec 7, 2012 at 1:52 a.m.
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Making weed legal would take all those shady peeps right out of the picture . No more shady dealings with people you dont like or trust or wanna be associated with . Would free up Jail space for much more deserving folks like violent offenders , would bring truth in sentencing back to violent offenders and child molesters with more room . HUGE MONEY for Local and State Governments . Would be the Best thing Wisco could ever do for its Tax Payers Since ive been alive !
Prohibition Didn't Work Before and it Don't Work Now !
Dec 7, 2012 at 12:56 a.m.
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MBHammer mentions nothing of millions of drunk drivers on the road every year, just texters and potheads. Is that the truth? I would think that is closer to paranoia than truth. Alchohol is FAR more damaging than Mary jane ever was. Any substance that changes your state of mid isn't good for you, but to judge people while standing on your soap box is humorous to me.
Maybe if you ave never been drunk , have never been inoxicated in any way, then your judgement of "those people" as low lifes might be valid. Even then, you are a judgemental embicile. To afront such stereotyping as the "truth" makes you just as ignorant and please stay in your cave.
The "truth" is there is all kinds of bad behavior related to just about anything in life. people who take things to extremes make the rest look bad. I would say that the people that claim to be the most richeous among us in society also seem to be the most judgemental. We dont like potheads, call them low lifes? Why? Lots of very successful potheads in this world, no? I would charecterize a low life as say...a child molester......maybe someone who protects one? Catholic Church? Penn State University?
Please MB jump off your soapbox for us and keep your judgements to yourself. If you want marijuana to be illegal then you must support the prohibition of Alchohol, tobacco, and other FAR more harmful LEGAL products. Otherwise you are a hypocrite. THAT is the TRUTH.
Dec 6, 2012 at 10:36 p.m.
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Stating the truth gets a person labled "over-the-edge, mean, crazed individual"? Some folks are just out of touch with reality.
Dec 6, 2012 at 6:56 p.m.
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MBHammer you must have watched reefer madness a few too many times. Did it ever occur to you that maybe your brother is a low life so that is the level of customers he provided. I grew up in a family of alcoholics and came of age in the seventies. I would much rather socialize with pot smokers any day over the alcoholics. The people who drink become belligerent ,obnoxious and just plain mean looking to pick a fight with anyone, whereas the pot smokers get pretty mellow, sit around have good conversations, laugh and at the most eat all the munchies in the house :)
Dec 6, 2012 at 5:30 p.m.
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I never did the marijuana scene. My brother was involved years ago (early eighties) with the stuff and sold it. Unfortunately I happened to be around him sometimes when people came by to buy the stuff, came in contact with at least ten people he knew and these people were not friends nor were they people that I would never want to be friends with. My brother thought of them as friends but they were not. My thought is these people are low lifes, altered beyond repair and for myself I never never want to be around anyone who does that crap. Those people are in the category of texters as far as driving goes, and I mean if a pothead or a texter ever wrecks in to me and I am able to physically, I will step on them with my shoe.
Dec 6, 2012 at 5:13 p.m.
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Here's a nice podcast from Tim Bremels show on the subject...with some 'anonymous' guest;)
http://wclo.com/podcasts/your-talk-show/...
Dec 6, 2012 at 5:12 p.m.
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Good posts. It's truly inevitable now. I'm w third_eye. I wish we could see the actual cash that changes hands on any given day in this state/country that is untaxed. It's ALOT. I actually think that Clinton could have done absolutely nothing because Nancy Reagan and her 'just say no' campaign scared the dickens out of peeps.
Just like alcohol prohibition ended one state at a time until the Feds realized their flawed policy, marijuana will soon be legal for any American adult to consume, if they so CHOOSE!!
Dec 6, 2012 at 5:02 p.m.
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Based on my experiences in the 70's I figured that Marijuana would have been legalized within 10 to 15 years.
Then in the early 90's Bill Clinton said he didn't inhale and that became the criteria. Had he said, "yea, I tried it just like many of my generation", we all could be enjoying a legal joint right now.
Dec 6, 2012 at 4:53 p.m.
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Marijuana has been available to anyone who really wants to find it since the early 70's. A great deal of money has changed hands in all those years, none of it taxed.
When the tax dollars roll in for Washington and Colorado other states will see the light, and so will the Federal Government (attn: MBHammer)
Those that predict dire consequences of legalization will not see these predictions come to pass. There are plenty of people around who partake now and create no problem. The fact is that both times alcohol prohibition was ended consumption went down and the economy went up. (The first time was in England in the 1730's, the second the US 1929-1933.)
Dec 6, 2012 at 4:04 p.m.
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Still against Federal Law.
Dec 6, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.
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While we have Legislators busy infringing on the rights of our citizens to vote and collectively bargain wages and benefits or pissing and moaning about perceived bias within the GAB, OTHER states are reducing their law enforcement and prison costs by not arresting and housing marijuana smokers plus creating new revenue streams that will help lower taxes while providing funds for badly needed infrastructure improvements. Meanwhile all we can do is gaze with envy at the fortunate residents of Washington and Colorado.
Dec 6, 2012 at 1:12 p.m.
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Now it is time for Wisconsin to do this. Get that revenue from the taxes.
Dec 6, 2012 at 10:01 a.m.
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RAmen to that RAF.
Dec 6, 2012 at 9:10 a.m.
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Sadly the policy wonks, at all levels of government, tend to think they know what is better for people than themselves. Any law that "pretends" to protect people from themselves is a bad law [period].
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