Washington & Colorado Legalize Recreational Marijuana

[Gravdigr]

Having partaken since the early eighties, I can assure you that weed has only gotten stronger/better. Infinte Monkey needs to find a different dope slinger.

Here's what will be interesting to see:

1. Will the dope sold by the state-licensed pot stores cost more, or, less than what's sold 'on da street'?

If it's more expensive than 'street-weed', I think they're (WA & CO) pissing up a rope. Ain't no pothead gonna pay extra for weed just 'cuz it's all legal n shit. Unless it's like primo herb, of course.

2. Will 'street dope' survive?

I think it will, if for no other reason, cuz there's always the 'I ain't supportin tha gubmint' types.

3. Will the state sponsored weed be as good as 'reglar dope'?

I think it'll have to be at least as good...nobody'd buy 'bunk weed' twice.

4. How will it be sold?

By weight, like sugar? By the pack, like cigs? Loose? Pre-rolled?

5. The acceptance/non-acceptance by employers' drug testing, will this change?

I don't see it happening. Drug testing by employers is driven not by laws, but, by insurance companies.

Also, the NFL has already said 'You still can't smoke pot in the NFL.', although I believe it's overlooked to some extent already.


Of course, we may all already be ahead of ourselves:

from YahooNews

by Alex Dobuzinskis

(Reuters) - 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.

(Additional reporting by Jonathan Kaminsky in Olympia; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Jim Loney)

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Having partaken since the early eighties, I can assure you that weed has only gotten stronger/better. Infinte Monkey needs to find a different dope slinger.

Here's what will be interesting to see:

1. Will the dope sold by the state-licensed pot stores cost more, or, less than what's sold 'on da street'?

If it's more expensive than 'street-weed', I think they're (WA & CO) pissing up a rope. Ain't no pothead gonna pay extra for weed just 'cuz it's all legal n shit. Unless it's like primo herb, of course.

2. Will 'street dope' survive?

I think it will, if for no other reason, cuz there's always the 'I ain't supportin tha gubmint' types.

3. Will the state sponsored weed be as good as 'reglar dope'?

I think it'll have to be at least as good...nobody'd buy 'bunk weed' twice.

4. How will it be sold?

By weight, like sugar? By the pack, like cigs? Loose? Pre-rolled?

5. The acceptance/non-acceptance by employers' drug testing, will this change?

I don't see it happening. Drug testing by employers is driven not by laws, but, by insurance companies.

Also, the NFL has already said 'You still can't smoke pot in the NFL.', although I believe it's overlooked to some extent already.


Of course, we may all already be ahead of ourselves:

I can tell you how it works with medical marijuana in Colorado. What UT said about the different varieties. The legal dispensaries sell pot that has a quality which is as high, usually higher than what you find on the street. Pot in smokeable form is sold by weight. You can also buy oils and ingestible forms of pot. The price is competitive with what you would pay your local dealer.

The beauty of legal pot is that it's legal. You can grow your own plants and not get busted by the cops. You can hop in your car and drive over to the nearby dispensary and browse through a variety of different strains. The dispensary is not going to burn you like a dealer might. You show the dispensary guy your medical card - easily obtained with the blessing of an MD who actually makes a living just authorizing patients to get medical mj. You pay your money, grab your smoke and go down the street singing a song. No Colorado law enforcement official is going to bother you. That's pretty sweet. When it's so easy to obtain legally, why bother getting it illegally and potentially having to pay some stupid consequence?

As far as drug testing - this is my personal experience - all you have to do is show your medical card to prove that it is legal for you to use pot. The employer will then just let it go. I guess maybe some big corporation might get in a snit about it, but I'm not aware of any in Colorado that has.

Now that Colorado has legalized recreational as well as medical marijuana, I think illegal growers will become fewer and fewer. Again, why risk what could be a pretty heavy duty bust when you don't have to? Why always have to worry that someone might come across your crop and rip you off while they turn you in? Just become that American icon - the owner of a small business that pays a nice living. It beats having to do deals with Mexican thugs down some back ally. Just my opinion.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Having partaken since the early eighties, I can assure you that weed has only gotten stronger/better. Infinte Monkey needs to find a different dope slinger.

Is stronger better?