Two states legalize recreational marijuana

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ist-state-ballot-initiatives/?intcmp=trending

Colorado voted to legalize smoking marijuana Tuesday, but the governor warned tokers not to "break out the Cheetos or Goldfish" just yet, since the federal government still takes a dim view of pot.
The Centennial State joined Washington in becoming the first states to legalize recreational use of marijuana Tuesday night, setting up a battle between the states and the federal government, which prohibits use of the drug. The historic votes were among a host of decisions on ballot initiatives that will shape state-level policy on everything from recreational drug use to same-sex marriage. But Gov. John Hickenlooper, who opposed the marijuana measure, said the federal government still considers marijuana taboo, so breaking out the bong could be premature.

“The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will,” Hickenlooper said. “This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly.”


The Colorado measure has sparked a national debate about marijuana policy, with supporters pushing for the federal government to end marijuana prohibition nationwide. The Colorado measure states adults over 21 can possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, or six marijuana plants, for personal use. Opponents have said it will make the state a haven for drug tourists.

The measure in Washington State, Initiative 502, will legalize and regulate the production, possession and distribution of marijuana for residents age 21 and older.
The new law will impose a 25 percent tax rate on marijuana when the grower sells it to the processor, when the processor sells it to the retailer and when the retailer sells it to the customer. The measure could bring in $500 million, a figure analysts dispute.

“That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly.”
- Gov. John Hickenlooper
Voters in Oregon, where the pro-marijuana advocates were less organized and poorly funded, defeated a ballot measure that would have allowed the commercial growth and sale of marijuana to adults. Known as Measure 80, it would have legalized pot through state-licensed stores, allowed unlicensed growth and use of marijuana by adults and prohibit restrictions on pot.

In Arkansas, voters rejected a measure legalizing medical marijuana, while in Massachusetts, voters supported a similar measure. Massachusetts also voted on a physician-assisted suicide measure, but that result was too close to call early Wednesday.

Maine and Maryland residents approved same-sex marriage, giving the gay rights movement its latest victories. Washington voters also voted on a same-sex marriage measure, but the results are not yet known because voters there had to mail in their decisions. In Minnesota voters were deciding on a proposal to ban gay marriage in the state constitution.
Maine’s ballot measure signaled the first time that gay-rights supporters put the issue to a popular vote.
In both Maryland and Washington, gay-marriage laws were approved by lawmakers and signed by the governors earlier this year, but opponents gathered enough signatures to challenge the laws.
In Minnesota, the question was whether the state would join 30 others in placing a ban on gay marriage in its constitution. Even if the ban is defeated, same-sex marriage would remain illegal in Minnesota under statute.
Gay marriage is legal in six states and the District of Columbia – in each case the result of legislation or court orders, not by a vote of the people.

In Maryland, students brought to the United States illegally as children, won their fight to obtain in-state tuition breaks at the state's public colleges and universities. It also helps some illegal immigrants who graduate from high school in Maryland.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ot-initiatives/?intcmp=trending#ixzz2BYO7zzSr

 

Is there a point to your OP or are you just making sure we get a dose of news this morning? Are we discussing whether this is right or wrong? Are we discussing what the federal government will do? Are we discussing the gay marriage proposals?

If you are going to start a thread, you are supposed to start a discussion about the story, not just copy/paste the story.

 

Good...

Everywhere else should follow suit, IMO...

 

This is more than just about weed. We now have a state law at odds with a federal law. The fallout will be much more far reaching than just legalizing pot.

Nullification meets the Supremacy Clause again.. Nullification has never been legally upheld. Which side are you on...that of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison or the Supreme Court?

 

You would think conservatives would be on board, this is one of the biggest assertions of state's rights in modern times.

 

I support this, I believe that drug laws should be up to the states to decide, not the federal govt. And apparently this could bring in $500 million a year or more in tax revenue - that's something for the anti-pot crowd to think about, considering they're hell bent on keeping a drug which is less addictive and dangerous than tobacco or alcohol illegal.

I'm curious though, does this mean that a person in Colorado possessing pot could still be prosecuted by federal drug enforcement laws if they were caught with it?

 

This isn't even an issue and the Supreme Court won't even hear it. Its been settled for a long time that the Federal Goverment overrules State goverment.

Unforutnately States can put whatever the hell they want on a ballot even if it stands no chance of ever being legitimized. Hell of a waste of paper actually.

 

2 down, 48 to go. Of course, the southern states will be the last. All those small government Conservative types there.

 

Realistically though, if the state won't prosecute them for it - then what are the chances of the federal govt being able to stop them?

 

California has already legalized recreational marijuana if I recall right, so that makes 3 states now actually. Colorado and Washington just voted to legalize pot.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS...lize-recreational-marijuana/story?id=17652774

Our neighbors to the North (like 5 minutes north) just legalized 1 oz of weed per customer! That's amazing!!! They estimate it will bring in (from taxes alone) 100's of millions a year. And just like the other laws dealing with the Mary - they will say "don't do it", and they will continue to do it because they don't have an enforcement to stop it.

NICE that the Republicans want to cut down on their big Gov't - Federal Employees - so the Democrats can sell weed to their children!! Funny how that works isn't it...

 

Drinking age, I forget the case but basically the Federal Government cut off highway funds to Wisconsin I believe in order to get them to obey the Federal Law.

 

Even from an international relations perspective, this is a victory. Most scholars on transnational drug trafficking understand that the current regime of enforcement through criminalization only pushes more drugs and narcotics onto the black market. Even the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recognizes such. Henceforth, decriminalization/legalization and regulation are the best means to eliminate negative externalities imposed upon society.

 

They absolutely could be prosecuted. Federal laws always trump state or local laws. The problem for the federal government comes when the state and lower police and prosecutors do not enforce federal law. They can choose to not enforce the federal law and leave that to the federal government. If the federal government decides to dump a bunch of DEA guys in a state and go after people when the citizens have spoken the repercussions could be ugly. The feds will be better suited to just kinda ignore it as long as they can. If this starts a wave and other states begin to follow suit, they will be all but forced to take it off the schedule 1 list and create legislation to leave regulation and legislature of it to the states.

I believe it is the beginning of the end for the stupidest prohibition in our countries history. Legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana and hemp. The farmers would love to grow hemp and many manufacturers love to use it but right now it is very difficult and expensive to do so.

 

Decriminalization did not lessen the lessen the negative externalities in Portugal. It has neither increased nor decreased them.

 

Decriminalization alone does not limit negative externalities, at least not to the extent people would like them to be. Decriminalization and regulation does.

 

Our biggest negative externality is the cost of the police and courts to handle such silly things. So yes, it would lessen them.

 

You cannot regulate the Black Market, and you cannot get rid of it through legalization. If you legalize drugs, outside of marijuana, you run into the problem of increased addiction and the associated negatives including criminalization since much of the crime is related to actions other than simple possession. Robbery, murder, abuse...ect.

 

Right, however marijuana has never been proven to be physically addictive like hard drugs, such as a cocaine and heroin. There are legal substances that are more addictive than pot.

 

I excluded marijuana, sorry if I was unclear about that.

 

My mistake - however they did legalize medicinal marijuana right? From what I'd heard it isn't difficult at all to get a prescription for it, so it's effectively almost the same as recreational marijuana - just a loophole in the law.

 

We are also very surprised here in Oregon. But, it didn't pass. But, with Washington leading the way, and we can't STAND - DESPISE our Washington neighbors, we will get something working and it will be far better than anything Washington would offer...

 

That reminds me of the oft quoted oxymoron Oregon's Marijuana Initiative

10-15 years and marijuana will be legalized and regulated federally is what I predict.

 

Huh? You're joking. You're saying that someone can't use a forum like this to post news-briefs unless it's with the express purpose of starting an argument?!? Weird.

Personally, I found the post to be a handy news-brief.