Speaking as non-pot smoking Coloradan, I say it's about god-damned time for both of our states. Persecuting marijuana users, producers and sellers is such a huge waste of resources for nearly no return whatsoever.

Colorado's measure hasn't officially been certified, BTW. Although three times as many signatures as necessary were submitted, they're being disqualified at a high rate of speed. Fucking dopers.

Well, good for them, but it won't change the Federal law that makes possession, sale and distribution of marijuana illegal. Federal law trumps state law, which was the first thing they taught us in high school civics class (though I understand they don't teach civics in high school anymore)...

@3) Then it's a good thing that 99 percent of pot cases are enforced by state officers and prosecuted under state law. Did they teach you that in civics class?

@3 My concern as well. As much as I think weed should be as legal as Doritos, arguing for states rights in this instance seems to weaken liberal arguments against states rights in other areas.

@3 - and now we're gonna get to see how that plays out. Which is the point.

@3 Given the current administration's "we won't prosecute if you don't break state law" policy (which is admittedly sometimes ignored in practice), I'd be very curious to see how the feds react if a number of states start breaking into open revolt on this.

I also can't wait to hear how supposedly "states' rights, 10th amendment" conservatives react; usually they turn into ardent federal supremacists the very moment any state starts doing anything they disapprove of (viz. gay marriage and the push for a federal marriage amendment)

@7: " I'd be very curious to see how the feds react if a number of states start breaking into open revolt on this."

They'll never move to legalize federally until the States revolt.

@4: Rule of law folks are mind-bogglingly stupid. Obama can ensure that the Federal law isn't required to be enforced.

@10, Indeed, Executive Order is a wonderful tool. POTUS can end this with a single executive order. It may indeed become polarized enough that the feds will count the tax dollars and we will see an extreme excise tax on social use which will maintain current prices. $150,000,.000,000 annually is actually enough of a cash flow to attract national attention...

This is not just important nationally but internationally. Lots of folks in other countries will be paying very close attention.

The US is the biggest dog in the room when it comes to the UN convention on drugs and has argued vehemently against any support of harm reduction and any talk of drug policy reform. At every international health or drug related conference delegates from outside the US plead with US delegates to rebel. If we can get a couple of states to go into open revolt against the feds it can seriously undercut the US position against reform on the international stage.

This is important and we really need to win.

I think someone on the #10 bus thinks this has passed already. It's skunky on here

@12 Which is why the people who complain about it not being perfect are completely wrong on the initiative. Can't see the forest for the trees, as it were...

Good. The feds won't look at marijuana reform until the states fight back hard enough to force them to.

Washington State Initiative Measure No. 502 (I-502)
" because marijuana prohibition has failed and Congress and the legislature must act to eliminate the danger to public safety posed by the enormous American black market. Unless states act to regulate, control and decriminalize most uses of marijuana, Congress will continue to ignore the law enforcement danger and assert federal criminal laws that ill serve the public."

I-501 Sponsor former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Seattle University professor of National Security Law and Constitutional Law, John McKay.
He served as the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for the prosecution of drug crimes, including marijuana smuggling, distribution and use. A past President of the Legal Services Corporation in Washington, D.C., he has served as a White House Fellow and Special Assistant to the F.B.I. Director, a Congressional Aide to the late Joel Pritchard (R-WA)
http://www.newapproachwa.org

Well, Jimmy T....since all you seem to be able to do is cut and paste NAW propaganda, here's one from John McKay that you should really enjoy. It certainly speaks to the NAW mindset regarding legalization.

"...we should give serious consideration to heavy regulation and taxation of the marijuana industry (an industry that is very real and dangerously underground).We should limit pot's content of the active ingredient THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), regulate its sale to adults who are dumb enough to want it and maintain criminal penalties for sales, possession or use by minors, drivers and boaters."

-John McKay, Sponsor of I-502
(Seattle Times & the NAW website)

Hey Jimmy....your buddy John McKay just dumped you into the category of "adults who are dumb enough to want it". I would also add "adults that are dumb enough to actually vote for this initiative". Gotta love his ideas though, right? Heavily tax it and, at the same time, reduce its potentcy, and then throw anyone who uses it in jail for DUID. Oh, and increase penalties for possession of over an ounce to a felony. Is this really your idea of "legalization"? Will you just vote for anything that has the word "legalization" attached to it? Maybe McKay is right and recreational stoners really are that stupid.

There are initiatives in California,Colorado,and Missouri that are morally superior to I-502.