Cannabis in Washington

People sometimes misunderstand about this whole Marijuana, Cannabis, Pot, whatever issue. The legalization of Cannabis is not about getting "high", or about people who want to get "high" to get "high" without getting busted. It is not about "Medical Marijuana" which is ridiculous in several ways (people who have a medical reason should have it, if they are dying and want it and it does nothing, they should have it, if they just want it, they should have it). Alcohol has effects similar to cocaine, it numbs you just like cocaine. Cigarettes are extremely addictive. Many "legal" prescription drugs are extremely addictive and dangerous.

Dangerous drugs ARE illegal (cigarettes, alcohol, prescription drugs, etc.). Why is a weed so benign in comparison, illegal?

It is about wasting public funds, incarcerating people who are good law abiding people except for where the laws are immoral and should be illegal, taking law enforcement resources away from violent crimes and the true criminals and dangerous drug people.

From the MPP release today:

"Yesterday, Tacoma, WA voters sent a powerful message to Olympia by joining Seattle in officially declaring marijuana possession laws the city’s “lowest law enforcement priority.” Congratulations to Don Muridan and Sherry Bockwinkel, co-sponsors of Tacoma Initative No. 1, CannabisReformAct.org, who gathered the necessary signatures, and of course the voters who helped make this victory possible.

"Despite running this campaign in an off-year election, the measure passed by nearly a 2:1 margin, gathering 65% of the vote. Modeled after Seattle’s 2003 initiative, Initiative No. 1 makes adult marijuana possession offenses the lowest priority for law enforcement. Although more than 200 people were charged last year with minor marijuana possession in Tacoma, the city attorney has called the initiative unnecessary, arguing that marijuana charges are already a low priority in Tacoma. Well, now that’s official.

"Yesterday’s vote was about more than a legal technicality. The broad support enjoyed by Initiative No. 1 demonstrates the overarching sentiment expressed by the voters: marijuana prohibition has failed. Police should stop wasting time arresting people for using a substance safer than alcohol and instead spend that time protecting our community from violent criminals and other real threats to public safety. Let’s hope Tacoma-area elected officials were listening."

Oh and that being said, one more blurb from the MPP:

"During his run for the presidency, Obama instilled hope in medical marijuana supporters by pledging to respect state laws on the matter. Over the past eight months he has become the worst president in U.S. history regarding medical marijuana."

I'm kind of sad about that because I voted for President Obama and had high hopes. I would like to think he's done better than Bush. I just wish he had done a little bit more on some important issues he thinks are wasted effort. I don't think we can pick and choose so much. Yes, he should use his political capital on Healthcare, and peace efforts, our econony and so on. But that doesn't mean you get to just let some others slide that are affecting innocent people. But the president people will remember. Make some social changes that really can make a difference. Kill the "War on Drugs" along with the War on people.

And to the rest of us, Best of Luck!