Washington Pot Smokers Celebrate Legal Status and Fed Agents Stand Back

[JonLP24]

Source: ABC

Marijuana smokers breathed a puff of relief today as they lit up legally for the first time in Washington state and were not cited, ticketed, or arrested for what is still a federal offense.

"There are no federal agents out there busting people," Seattle police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said today, hours after a new state law legalizing pot went into effect.

Seattle police spokesman Jonah Spangenthal-Lee wrote on the department's blog, "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."

<snip>

"We have a great relationship with federal law enforcement in Seattle, and we're not going to be jeopardizing that in any way. We recognize that federal law says it's prohibited... but our primary area of concern is making sure we're enforcing the law our bosses want us to, and our bosses are the general public of Seattle," Whitcomb said.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/washington-pot-smokers-celebrate-legal-status-fed-agents/story?id=17893882#.UMEAxYbe_4w

[warrprayer]

1. hilarious n/t

[Ezlivin]

2. Texas pot smokers celebrate secretly

And are envious!

[JDPriestly]

3. But, folks, beware. The federal government can still enforce federal law in Seattle in my

humble opinion. I don't like to rain on the parade, but marijuana is illegal in the eyes of the US government. That hasn't changed, and I think that can be enforced. The referendum is really just a formal opinion poll.

[nolabear]

5. True, but honestly, the cost-effectiveness makes it not worth their while.

The feds have a lot to do too. Local police that I know of are actually breathing a sigh of relief at not having to arrest, prosecute, testify, imprison or fine, just not be bothered with the kids at a festival when there is so much more they could be doing.

Selling and growing is still illegal, but if the user isn't getting busted the pressure to rat out the source gets pretty small.

I'm all about judicious and cautious use of any substance that can interfere with the normal functioning of life, but pot is used responsibly by many, many people and man, it's nice not to have those people in danger.

So here's to us! WA is a good place to be on two new fronts today.

[Kolesar]

6. A metro policeman could cite a person on the federal pot charge

I think that would be quite rare.

[99th_Monkey]

17. Which makes it all that much more irresistable to fire up a Fat One.

besides being good clean fun, it's also a healthy form of civil disobedience
in the face of the Federal DEA and DOJ idiocy passing as 'public policy'.

[BlueJazz]

4. In other news: "For unknown reasons, nearly all of the highways leading into Washington State...

...are carrying 4-5 times the regular amount of traffic"

A spokesperson of the Highway Patrol stated: "I've never seen anything like it..it's like the people are headed to paradise or heaven"

[wildbilln864]

7. K & r! If more people would learn about.....

jury nullification, we could win this wod imhooc!

[Uncle Joe]

10. + Infinity with a cherry on top.

[Cobalt Violet]

8. Sounds like pot smokers are job creaters.

Pizza and Lord of the Rings DVD's!

[Ed Suspicious]

9. they should keep their heads down and show themselves not to be a pain in the ass

so that this spreads. (they being liberated pot smokers of Washington)

[DiverDave]

11. NOW we will see who runs the country

if the feds crack down, these 11 run the country (pot wise, anyway)
http://www.alternet.org/11-enemies-marijuana-legalization
Which in the bigger picture shows who runs it ALL.

If they crack down, it will be proof that money talks and voted mean NOTHING.

We'll see.


I have my suspicions, but I'll keep quite till they start arresting people.

[musiclawyer]

12. Please don't repeat meme all people "smoke"

Half of CA rec users vaporize only in my unscientific survey

Go to any ball game and see people putting a battery into a tiny box and inconspicuously raising hand to mouth
They want they want to enjoy game high


Many medical users don't smoke at all

[bitchkitty]

25. True talking.

They've got some amazing little gadgets now. Myself, I prefer a nice fattie. My issues are appetite and weight loss, and a fattie fits the bill perfectly. I don't believe marijuana smoke causes cancer anyway - don't quote me but I believe there is a study which disproves that misconception.

[felix_numinous]

13. Let freedom ring!

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrystalis/8250171345/][img][/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrystalis/8250171345/]


http://stopthedrugwar.org/print/29771

[Twinguard]

14. At least one smoker in Spokane wishes he could join in the fun.

Sadly, this smoker doesn't have any weed and doesn't know where to get any until cannabis shops open. Until then, this smoker waits and hopes the Seattle partiers had fun and stayed safe last night.

[Coyotl]

15. So, what's happening today in Seattle at 4:20?

Anything other than the usual, say a celebration and light-up?

[sylvi]

16. It's high time the feds got out of the Stone Age

and into the Stoned Age.

I look forward to the day I can either grow my own without fear of the cops, or walk into pot boutique and choose from 100 different varieties of exotic buds.

[mzmolly]

18. Does the legality involve selling/growing

etc.? I'm curious about the "market" so to speak. Anyone? ...

Never mind, the video answered my question. Not legal to sell pot, yet.

[harun]

23. That's what is really screwed up about the law there. You can't grow it or buy it but if it somehow

magically falls from the sky in to your hand and you have it and/or smoke it, NO PROBLEM!

[In_The_Wind]

19. Finally an intelligent choice at last.

It's about 40 years too late.
Better late than never.

[ripcord]

20. Could get interesting

I wonder what will happen when the DEA raids a state run marijuana dispensary? At the rate the feds are shutting down medical marijuana clinics in California it could happen.

[green for victory]

21. they don't have to physically raid dispensaries

"Legal" cannabis in WA must be bought from a State Licensed store (that doesn't exist yet) that is taxed 3 times- 25% tax when the grower sells to the distributor, a 25% tax when the distributor sells to the retailer and a 25% tax when the retailer sells to the consumer. The State Liquor control board will control the entire industry.

Does anyone here think that these stores that don't exist yet are going to put their money into an FDIC insured bank? Sure they are!

The writers of 502 knew all about the fact that dispensaries in CA have big problems finding banks to deal with-but didn't address it at all.

Spoon Bender gets it-
"MVRick. Where will the pot growers put their money? Where will the State put the tax money? Is there a bank out there that will let accounts be set up? The Feds will consider that money laundering. Bulldog is right, did any of you actually read the law? I did. I voted no. In the end only 2 provisions will stand, no legal grows and an unscientific duid law."

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reader_feedback/public/display.php?source_id=2019803619&source_name=mbase&offset=80

[ripcord]

22. That is all 100% true

But a raid by armed DEA troops gets attention from the press and is an effective psychological tool.

[Comrade Grumpy]

24. So we shouldn't legalize because of the banking issue?

That seems like a path to nowhere.

Yes, there are going to be headaches and battles ahead, but you don't win them if you don't fight them.

To me, the pot people who opposed the initiative were either ultras, who want weed to be treated like tomatoes, or self-interested greedheads trying to protect their medical marijuana businesses from competition.

Yeah, the DUID provision sucks and so does the no-grow provision. We can try to fix those. But we still have legal weed, and that's historic.

[sarcasmo]

26. Kick!