Washington State's Marijuana Initiative: Would You Vote For It?

[Alaskan1]

Another reason why everyone should go read the initiative and NOT believe everything you read.
I-502 DOES NOT create a state agency, a state businesses or anything else that will sell marijuana, therefore will not control the price of marijuana. They will only regulate and tax it as they do with thousand of other products available for sale in Washington.

Perfect example, go out and try to home brew a six pack of beer and then compare your total costs to a six pack that is controlled, taxed and regulated from a liquor store. You'll figure out the economics of scale real fast, if you didn't get it before.

YES IT DOES create an agency. It was just on the news with a person from the state speaking about it!. A agency will be created to oversee all growers, dispensaries and anyone else making goods from mj. The state will give the nod to who grows, how much they can grow, ect.
Your telling me the state will have NO influence on the price? Lets take a look at tobacco shall we? Over $3 tax per pack? And your saying the state would have no control on the price? Think again.


I'll tell you what I would vote for.

A law that allows me to grow my own weed and sell what I don't use to a dispensary
A law that would allow me to drive the next day after taking a bong hit the night before
A law that would over see all manufactured goods from mj and allow anyone who wants to to manufacture or GROW weed. An open market.......imagine that!

 

[Alaskan1]

I feel you there, I'm from Georgia! ANYTHING to do with legalizing Marijuana looks fantastic to me!

We already have a law on the books for medical use. Why not just extend that law? Have you completely read the bill? My son owns a dispensary and even he is voting no. The bill as is is flawed to say the least.

 

[420 Warrior]

We already have a law on the books for medical use. Why not just extend that law? Have you completely read the bill? My son owns a dispensary and even he is voting no. The bill as is is flawed to say the least.

I hope you guys get everything worked out, peaked and tuned, just the way y'all want it...

Maybe once all the MMJ states get everything tweaked just right, everyone will start focusing on helping change "Federal Cannabis laws"? IDK? I sure hope that's the next phase?

 

[budbro]

YES IT DOES create an agency. It was just on the news with a person from the state speaking about it!. A agency will be created to oversee all growers, dispensaries and anyone else making goods from mj. The state will give the nod to who grows, how much they can grow, ect.
Your telling me the state will have NO influence on the price? Lets take a look at tobacco shall we? Over $3 tax per pack? And your saying the state would have no control on the price? Think again.

Read what I said in regards to the poster I was referring to. He stated the State would create an agency TO GROW AND SELL, which is simply not true. The State of Washington will not grow or sell weed, the only thing they will do is to create an agency to regulate the cultivation and sales, same as they do for alcohol. Of course I am for the legalization of weed, but with regualtion. I personally do not want to see a gangster on every school corner dealing weed to 12 year olds (that's the regulation part), that is what we have now and it isn't aligned with my morals.

And you make the case for me again in your example, you will see dramatically lower prices as well if the law passes. Even with a $3 tax on cigarettes, nobody in their right mind would think they can produce tobacco in a small indoor grow at a lesser cost than the large scale agricultural farmers. Prices would plummet.

 

[Alaskan1]

Read what I said in regards to the poster I was referring to. He stated the State would create an agency TO GROW AND SELL, which is simply not true. The State of Washington will not grow or sell weed, the only thing they will do is to create an agency to regulate the cultivation and sales, same as they do for alcohol. Of course I am for the legalization of weed, but with regualtion. I personally do not want to see a gangster on every school corner dealing weed to 12 year olds (that's the regulation part), that is what we have now and it isn't aligned with my morals.

And you make the case for me again in your example, you will see dramatically lower prices as well if the law passes. Even with a $3 tax on cigarettes, nobody in their right mind would think they can produce tobacco in a small indoor grow at a lesser cost than the large scale agricultural farmers. Prices would plummet.

I tell you what. I'm producing it right now for far less then I can buy it. And if the price plummets like you say, why would anyone want to grow it in the first place? Look at the prices in the bay area for a pound of smoke and see how true your theory holds. They have regulated growing and I don't see the prices dropping like you say they will. So you want a company like Weyerhaeuser to grow your weed? What about all the small growers who have spent 10's of thousands of dollars to grow for and donate to dispensaries? You want to tell them tough shit? What do you know about production of tobacco? Here, go read this and tell me how easy it is to grow your own tobacco, and then get back to me. I can easily grow my own MJ and roll it for little money. FAR LESS then I could ever do trying to grow and roll my own tobacco.

I agree 100% we do not need anyone peddaling drugs at a school. I Think anyone who now grows outside of Washington laws should have evrything seized and punished to the full entent of the law. But I'm not about to vote for a bill and try and fix it later. Who says you will ever succeed? Right now the law as it stands is better then the bill you want to vote yes on IMHO.

This is how crappy parts of that bill are............

Say I'm home tonight installing a car stereo in my nice ford F150, while I'm installing this I decide to take myself a nice ol bong hit in my truck. Finish my install and go to bed.
Nexy day under no influence at all I take off for work. Didn't notice it but I have a tail light out......I get pulled over. Cop smells mj from the night before. Thinks I'm under the influence. Because of the bill YOU want to pass my truck gets towed away, I'm hauled off to have blood drawn and off to jail I go......Yea, I want to vote for that!
Lets see how happy a tune you are whistling when it happens to you my friend.
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this one and know we are just canceling out each others vote and live with that.

I completely agree that we need to hit the federal goverment and all states with decriminalization and regulations that make sense.

 

[Trommy]

I tell you what. I'm producing it right now for far less then I can buy it. And if the price plummets like you say, what would entice anyone to grow it if your making less then you are now. Have you seen what the price of a pound is in California? In some counties they are regulated just like you want.

I agree 100% we do not need anyone peddaling drugs at a school. I Think anyone who now grows outside of Washington laws should have evrything seized and punished to the full entent of the law. But I'm not about to vote for a bill and try and fix it later. Who says you will ever succeed? Right now the law as it stands is better then the bill you want to vote yes on IMHO.

This is how crappy parts of that bill are............

Say I'm home tonight installing a stereo in my nice ford F150, while I'm installing this I decide to take myself a nice ol bong hit. Finish my install and go to bed.
Nexy day under no influence at all I take off for work. Didn't notice it but I have a tail light out......I get pulled over. Cop smells mj from the night before. Thinks I'm under the influence. Because of the bill YOU want to pass my truck gets towed away, I'm hauled off to have blood drawn and off to jail I go......Yea, I want to vote for that!
Lets see how happy a tune you are whistling when it happens to you my friend.
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this one and know we are just canceling out each others vote and live with that.

I completely agree that we need to hit the federal goverment and all states with decriminalization and regulations that make sense.

Under those same circumstances what would they be able to do if this law doesn't pass? Don't they already have some sort of law in place for blood testing if you are suspected of driving under the influence?

 

[Alaskan1]

I will be voting no. This intitiative was drafted with the help of a couple of the larger dispensaries in the state to try and corner the market on cannabis for a while. This intiative moves us backwards by not allowing patients to grow there own medicine and the dui section is absolutely intolerable. 5ng?lol 50ng is the state and federal standard for showing positive on a drug test. 5ng will put about 98% of the patients using cannabis in jail. Then guess what? They'll be forced to enter a drug abuse program which they will also have to pay for.
Absolutely not. This is a terrible intiative for cannabis patients. Might be good for none patients but we should make sure the patients are taken care of too.

Trommy, here is the info your looking for

 

[budbro]

I tell you what. I'm producing it right now for far less then I can buy it. And if the price plummets like you say, why would anyone want to grow it in the first place? Look at the prices in the bay area for a pound of smoke and see how true your theory holds. They have regulated growing and I don't see the prices dropping like you say they will. So you want a company like Weyerhaeuser to grow your weed? What about all the small growers who have spent 10's of thousands of dollars to grow for and donate to dispensaries? You want to tell them tough shit? What do you know about production of tobacco? Here, go read this and tell me how easy it is to grow your own tobacco, Information Resources and then get back to me. I can easily grow my own MJ and roll it for little money. FAR LESS then I could ever do trying to grow and roll my own tobacco.

I agree 100% we do not need anyone peddaling drugs at a school. I Think anyone who now grows outside of Washington laws should have evrything seized and punished to the full entent of the law. But I'm not about to vote for a bill and try and fix it later. Who says you will ever succeed? Right now the law as it stands is better then the bill you want to vote yes on IMHO.

This is how crappy parts of that bill are............

Say I'm home tonight installing a car stereo in my nice ford F150, while I'm installing this I decide to take myself a nice ol bong hit in my truck. Finish my install and go to bed.
Nexy day under no influence at all I take off for work. Didn't notice it but I have a tail light out......I get pulled over. Cop smells mj from the night before. Thinks I'm under the influence. Because of the bill YOU want to pass my truck gets towed away, I'm hauled off to have blood drawn and off to jail I go......Yea, I want to vote for that!
Lets see how happy a tune you are whistling when it happens to you my friend.
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this one and know we are just canceling out each others vote and live with that.

I completely agree that we need to hit the federal goverment and all states with decriminalization and regulations that make sense.

First, the growing cheaper part. It's not all about the cost of production. It is about supply and demand. If you have a multitude of 1,000 acre grows and warehouses of weed, the supply will go up and prices will fall. Ask yourself, if you had 1,000 acres to grow weed on, could you produce it cheaper per pound than the way you are doing it now? I know I could. Economics of scale will usually, if not always result in lower prices.

Secondly, DUI and blood tests. In your own example, NOTHING would happen to you providing you could pass a field sobriety test. There is ALREADY an existing DUI law in Washington and it includes alcohol, THC, prescription drugs, and any other substance that impairs your ability to drive. This law only sets a standard for testing. The police could stop you for the tail light being out, BUT, Just as with alcohol simply smelling it on you (alcohol or weed), is not probable cause and does not warrant an arrest for DUI, that is why they give you a field sobriety test to determine if you are impaired. If you are so high you cannot pass a field sobriety test, then yes, they can test you, but not before that. So let them smell all day long, it doesn't matter. If you are not impaired and capable of driving safely, there is no probable cause for being arrested and having your blood tested. Simple as that. A lot of people are freaking out over the blood testing aspect, I know, but mostly because of false interpretations of the initiative just like the example you used.

Understand, I'm really not trying to argue with you Alaskan1, I simply want anyone else that may view this post to make an informed, educated assesment of the initiative.

 

[budbro]

Under those same circumstances what would they be able to do if this law doesn't pass? Don't they already have some sort of law in place for blood testing if you are suspected of driving under the influence?

Yes, they absolutely do have an existing DUI law that includes alcohol and THC and if you cannot pass a field sobriety test, you can be arrested and have your blood tested. But, just as with alcohol or any other substance - possession, smelling or voodoo detective work does not warrant arrest, a charge, or a blood test. The police have to have probable cause that you are impaired and a pose a danger to society behind the wheel of a vehicle.

There is a lot of propaganda flowing nowadays, some are innocent and by mistake, some not so innocent. Please don't believe everything you read. Be informed and educated before voting.

 

[dikweed]

Dr. Mobley’s Testimony to House Judiciary Committee | Vote No on I-502

 

[crashnfool]

I would vote for something like it...... but better... I'm no politician so don't ask me how I would fix it please...:surrender:

 

[Goshawk]

I will vote no. Any patient that really needs and uses marijuana will probably test above the legal limit
so legally they could not drive a car. I would like to see the statistics that show at what level of THC in
the blood has been enough impairment that it has been proven to be a major contributing factor in causing
car accidents.

 

[420 Warrior]

Well, for one thing, having THC in your blood, doesn't mean that your actually impaired at the time they find it there.

You can be a week or better from the last time you've used Cannabis and still come up with THC in your blood! I mean, you will be "Stone Cold Sober" and still be held under the same scrutiny as someone who has been drinking alcohol all night long and then trying to drive!

The logic in this new attack, really makes no sense, when you consider that most heavy Cannabis users can and do drive on a daily basis, with not killing people on mass scale for doing so, as opposed to the physical numbers you can surely find from driving drunk!

We're talking about two totally different animals here! They're going on the premise of the effects of "Drunk Driving" and applying it to Cannabis, which doesn't have the same track record, what so ever!

The thing is, they are doing nothing for research on the effects of driving while "Under The Influence Of Cannabis"! Where's the facts? Who has proof that it's a problem!?

IMO...Their comparison of Cannabis and alcohol has no backbone and holds no water, when there is no REAL proof!

OK GUYS! They have made their case with this new attack! Now it's our turn and our responsibility to attack back with our brand of logic and common sense here!

It's our job, as "Cannabis activist's/WARRIORS, to dispute any and all LAME/FUTILE attempts to prove that Cannabis isn't and should not not be a viable and much needed commodity/medicine in our society!

Their foundation is based on lies and deception, while ours is based on viable research and just plane common sense! Who do you think will win in the end?

My only fear is that, not enough of us will stand up and make the argument's needed to see our hopes and dreams for Cannabis, through to fruition and realization?

I say, we need "ALL HANDS ON DECK"! For this final push! We are at the threshold of a golden opportunity here. We now even have a media shift in our favor! The time to act is right now guy's/gal's!

 

[Goshawk]

That is exactly why this law needs to be voted down. It will just give police officers another situation where they can arrest citizens for their use of cannabis. It makes no sense at all especially since in the real world for decades possession of less than 40 grams in Washington State has been a $50.00 ticket and that's it. It will cost thousands of dollars to defend yourself if you are arrested for driving above their random THC limit as well as putting cannabis smokers at risk of a lengthy jail sentence if this law passes. Legalization at any cost is a joke just like those that think they will vote to legalize it and then the problems with the law will be fixed later are dreaming. So I think people should think about the real consequences of this law if it is passed and then

Vote No.

 

[oldred28]

I too would have to say yes. any positive change that keeps thousands of peeps outta jail is good. and i agree, the levels will be contested in court, and without scientific evidence it will be tossed.

 

[Goshawk]

This new law would keep exactly 0 people from going to jail. Like I said earlier in Washigton State for something like twenty years people who are caught in possession of under 40 grams of marijuana (which is two grams under an ounce and a half) the penalty has been a $50.00 fine.
If this new law is passed then thousands more people will be going to jail for using cannabis then if it doesn't pass! It is not brain surgery people. The new law just gives police another reason they can arrest people for their use of cannabis.