First State to Legalize Marijuana is.......
- Thread starter BASEDVATO
- Start date
I agree, and now with a market needing good testing indicators that will also advance. More jobs for a analytical testing chemist/ engineer. The cycle of more jobs lol
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Ne Obliviscaris
Marijuana legalization victories could be short-lived..
Votes making Colorado and Washington the first U.S. states to legalize marijuana for recreational use could be short-lived victories for pot backers because the federal government will fight them, two former U.S. drug control officials said on Wednesday.
They said the federal government could sue to block parts of the measures or send threatening letters to marijuana shops, followed up by street-level clampdowns similar to those targeting medical marijuana dispensaries the government suspects are fronts for drug traffickers.
"This is a symbolic victory for (legalization) advocates, but it will be short-lived," Kevin Sabet, a former adviser to the Obama administration's drug czar, told reporters.
"They are facing an uphill battle with implementing this, in the face of ... presidential opposition and in the face of federal enforcement opposition," Sabet said.
Colorado and Washington state legalized the possession and sale of marijuana for adult recreational use on Tuesday through ballot measures in defiance of federal law, while a similar initiative was defeated at the polls in Oregon.
The initiatives appeared to reflect growing national support for liberalized marijuana laws, as indicated by a Gallup poll last year that found 50 percent of Americans favored making it legal, versus 46 percent opposed.
The U.S. Department of Justice, which considers marijuana an illegal drug liable to being abused, said enforcement of the federal Controlled Substances Act "remains unchanged."
"We are reviewing the ballot initiatives and have no additional comment at this time," a government statement said.
Sabet said he expected the Obama administration would at some point file a federal lawsuit to challenge and seek to block aspects of state-level legalization measures and that this "is going to be caught up in the courts for quite a while."
HARD TO ROLL BACK CLOCK
But federal action was not expected to snuff out state-sanctioned marijuana in those states - especially the ability of individuals to possess an ounce or less of the drug without risk of arrest by local police.
Sabet, who opposes legalization, acknowledged that states were free to eliminate their own penalties for possession. But he said U.S. Attorneys could send letters to Colorado and Washington governors warning them not to implement provisions to regulate and tax marijuana at special stores.
Or the federal government could wait until such a system is created and sue to block it, he said.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, had said he personally opposed his state's legalization measure. But he has since said he plans to respect the will of voters.
In Washington state, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Inslee, who was leading in the vote count in a tight race, has spoken out against his state's initiative but is committed to implementing it, campaign spokeswoman Jaime Smith said.
If the Obama administration reacts too harshly, it could suffer politically with younger, more left-leaning voters who chose legalization and typically lean Democratic.
But President Barack Obama also faces pressure from anti-drug groups to protect young people from harm they say would result if states set up a regulated and taxed marijuana trade.
Robert DuPont, who served as drug czar for former Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and opposes legalization, said he welcomed a confrontation.
"I think it's time to resolve it," he said.
Ian Millhiser, senior constitutional policy analyst with the left-leaning Center for American Progress, said the federal government, even if it sues to challenge the Colorado and Washington initiatives, cannot force police in those states to arrest people for marijuana infractions.
"If I were Barack Obama, I would look at this and say I would rather have young voters with me," Millhiser said.
Votes making Colorado and Washington the first U.S. states to legalize marijuana for recreational use could be short-lived victories for pot backers because the federal government will fight them, two former U.S. drug control officials said on Wednesday.
They said the federal government could sue to block parts of the measures or send threatening letters to marijuana shops, followed up by street-level clampdowns similar to those targeting medical marijuana dispensaries the government suspects are fronts for drug traffickers.
"This is a symbolic victory for (legalization) advocates, but it will be short-lived," Kevin Sabet, a former adviser to the Obama administration's drug czar, told reporters.
"They are facing an uphill battle with implementing this, in the face of ... presidential opposition and in the face of federal enforcement opposition," Sabet said.
Colorado and Washington state legalized the possession and sale of marijuana for adult recreational use on Tuesday through ballot measures in defiance of federal law, while a similar initiative was defeated at the polls in Oregon.
The initiatives appeared to reflect growing national support for liberalized marijuana laws, as indicated by a Gallup poll last year that found 50 percent of Americans favored making it legal, versus 46 percent opposed.
The U.S. Department of Justice, which considers marijuana an illegal drug liable to being abused, said enforcement of the federal Controlled Substances Act "remains unchanged."
"We are reviewing the ballot initiatives and have no additional comment at this time," a government statement said.
Sabet said he expected the Obama administration would at some point file a federal lawsuit to challenge and seek to block aspects of state-level legalization measures and that this "is going to be caught up in the courts for quite a while."
HARD TO ROLL BACK CLOCK
But federal action was not expected to snuff out state-sanctioned marijuana in those states - especially the ability of individuals to possess an ounce or less of the drug without risk of arrest by local police.
Sabet, who opposes legalization, acknowledged that states were free to eliminate their own penalties for possession. But he said U.S. Attorneys could send letters to Colorado and Washington governors warning them not to implement provisions to regulate and tax marijuana at special stores.
Or the federal government could wait until such a system is created and sue to block it, he said.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, had said he personally opposed his state's legalization measure. But he has since said he plans to respect the will of voters.
In Washington state, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Inslee, who was leading in the vote count in a tight race, has spoken out against his state's initiative but is committed to implementing it, campaign spokeswoman Jaime Smith said.
If the Obama administration reacts too harshly, it could suffer politically with younger, more left-leaning voters who chose legalization and typically lean Democratic.
But President Barack Obama also faces pressure from anti-drug groups to protect young people from harm they say would result if states set up a regulated and taxed marijuana trade.
Robert DuPont, who served as drug czar for former Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and opposes legalization, said he welcomed a confrontation.
"I think it's time to resolve it," he said.
Ian Millhiser, senior constitutional policy analyst with the left-leaning Center for American Progress, said the federal government, even if it sues to challenge the Colorado and Washington initiatives, cannot force police in those states to arrest people for marijuana infractions.
"If I were Barack Obama, I would look at this and say I would rather have young voters with me," Millhiser said.
What that article fails to point out is that the 'making it legal' part of those initiatives is not challengible. The federal gov can sue and challenge the legality of having a state infrustructure for something thats illegal by federal laws (like licensing growers or dispensaries) but they havent done so in collorado or new mexico both of which already have state licensing. But the federal government cannot come in to washington and tell us what we as a state need to have laws against. So if we take the laws against possesion off our books, thats completely within our states rights.
You might think that feds can't come into your state and shut it all down because the state legalized it, but they've made tons of raids in Montana, so don't be surprised if it happens there too. A bunch of people got convicted in federal court of drug trafficking, manufacturing, and other charges even though they were licensed to grow and sell to patients with medical marijuana cards, which at the time was legal under our state law.
Basically, the feds raided all the dispensaries around the state. Then last year the state legislature controversially overturned the voter approved medical marijuana initiative and made it illegal to profit off of the sale of medical marijuana. So basically patients have to grow their own marijuana now or know somebody that is licensed to grow that will grow it for them and give it to them for free. This makes it extremely hard for the sick people to even get weed. It's ridiculous, Pfizer can make money off of their Rx drugs so why not the caretakers too?
Went off on a tangent there but at the end of the day, federal laws will always take precedence over state laws. That's just the way it is.
Basically, the feds raided all the dispensaries around the state. Then last year the state legislature controversially overturned the voter approved medical marijuana initiative and made it illegal to profit off of the sale of medical marijuana. So basically patients have to grow their own marijuana now or know somebody that is licensed to grow that will grow it for them and give it to them for free. This makes it extremely hard for the sick people to even get weed. It's ridiculous, Pfizer can make money off of their Rx drugs so why not the caretakers too?
Went off on a tangent there but at the end of the day, federal laws will always take precedence over state laws. That's just the way it is.
I'm not trying to say that it won't still be illegal federally, Its just an enforcement issue. State and local police in washington will no longer be able to arrest you for possession of under an ounce.
As Ez-Roo mentioned, in seattle at least, the DA has refused to prosecute simple posession cases for several years now, but the cops could still arrest you for it. And that was just king county, you go out to eastern washington to some little shit hole county and theyll press charges. That will no longer be true.
The purpose of the initiative wasn't to legalize weed like it was table salt, it was to regulate it like alcohol or tobacco.
As Ez-Roo mentioned, in seattle at least, the DA has refused to prosecute simple posession cases for several years now, but the cops could still arrest you for it. And that was just king county, you go out to eastern washington to some little shit hole county and theyll press charges. That will no longer be true.
The purpose of the initiative wasn't to legalize weed like it was table salt, it was to regulate it like alcohol or tobacco.
Props:
pAc0
The problem Colorado is having right now is our pussy ass governor doesn't support the amendment and is bullshittin about signing it. Dude's callin the attorney general and shit crying about he doesn't want to sign the bill but voters are making him...
Fuckin guy is a pathetic excuse for governor! The federal government does not pay him and is not his boss, he was elected by the state of Colorado and gets paid off Colorado tax dollars to represent us! This Sorry excuse for governor needs to step down from office if he's not going to support the vote of the people that put him into office! SMH, dudes a disgrace! Can you impeach a governor?
Fuckin guy is a pathetic excuse for governor! The federal government does not pay him and is not his boss, he was elected by the state of Colorado and gets paid off Colorado tax dollars to represent us! This Sorry excuse for governor needs to step down from office if he's not going to support the vote of the people that put him into office! SMH, dudes a disgrace! Can you impeach a governor?
they can stop or slim federal funding to the state. thats how the feds fuck the states, with their "state rights".
Obama has already made it clear that he doesnt respect states marijuana laws. he said in the beginning of his first term that he wont fuck with states marijuana laws, but he has proven that to be one of his many lies by takin down more pot shops than G.W. Bush. its not a secret.
Obama has already made it clear that he doesnt respect states marijuana laws. he said in the beginning of his first term that he wont fuck with states marijuana laws, but he has proven that to be one of his many lies by takin down more pot shops than G.W. Bush. its not a secret.
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S.SAVAGE and DJ Coma
a crime has to be committed for impeachment.
but he can possibly be recalled if Colorado allows it.
California recalled Gray Davis and got faggot ass Arnold Schwarzenegger on the flip side. all you need is the votes to make it happen, if your state allows it.
but he can possibly be recalled if Colorado allows it.
California recalled Gray Davis and got faggot ass Arnold Schwarzenegger on the flip side. all you need is the votes to make it happen, if your state allows it.
Props:
KG The One
I know you didn't mean it won't still be illegal federally. I'm just saying that at any moment the feds can decide to come in and enforce their laws, and the state has their hands tied and has to let them do that if they choose to. People that run legal dispensaries, according to state law, can still be charged with federal crimes like manufacturing, distributing, etc.
Exactly! Here's an article on what happened in Montana that supports what you said:
U.S. Attorney breaks silence on Montana medical marijuana probe
Quote from April 2012 in the article by US Attorney Michael Cotter:
So ya, the US Attorney said this 7 months ago. I truly hope that they don't this in other states though.
I wouldn't be surprised if Obama ends up going back to what he originally said at the beginning of his first term though, and respecting the state laws. I think now that he's been re-elected he might even start pushing to legalize it on a federal level to help the nation's debt and economy. It's just one of those things that is way too risky to even think about bringing up when re-election is at stake. Now that he's over that hump, it will be interesting to see what happens.
U.S. Attorney breaks silence on Montana medical marijuana probe
Quote from April 2012 in the article by US Attorney Michael Cotter:
So ya, the US Attorney said this 7 months ago. I truly hope that they don't this in other states though.
I wouldn't be surprised if Obama ends up going back to what he originally said at the beginning of his first term though, and respecting the state laws. I think now that he's been re-elected he might even start pushing to legalize it on a federal level to help the nation's debt and economy. It's just one of those things that is way too risky to even think about bringing up when re-election is at stake. Now that he's over that hump, it will be interesting to see what happens.
The govt..s going broke, and yet they want to spend more money to fuck with 1/3 of the states that have passed MJ laws.
There is a serious fucking disconnect when you have a movement of all states towards medical marijuana, and now full legalization - voted in by the people. Yet they think cracking down on it is in who's interest?
There is a serious fucking disconnect when you have a movement of all states towards medical marijuana, and now full legalization - voted in by the people. Yet they think cracking down on it is in who's interest?
Only if you buy brotha lynch and C-Lim cigarettes and have a really cool name like RED DRAGON
Props:
Ne Obliviscaris and S.SAVAGE