War on drugs: Beginning of the end?

[loves420]

War on drugs: Beginning of the end?

 

Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012 07:42 AM PST

 

War on drugs: Beginning of the end?

 

Two states legalize marijuana in defiance of federal prohibition

 

By Natasha Lennard Topics: Colorado, Drugs, Election 2012, marijuana, Marijuana Legalization, Mexico, War on Drugs, Washington, Elections News, News, Politics News

http://media.salon.com/2012/11/shutterstock_110412152-460x307.jpg (Credit: Stokkete via Shutterstock) On Tuesday night both Colorado and Washington State legalized the sale and possession of marijuana for recreational use. Meanwhile, Massachusetts approved the use of medical marijuana.

 

 

Once the election results are certified and rules for the sales and excise tax are put in place, marijuana in Colorado and Washington states will be sold, regulated and taxed — much like alcohol in most parts of the country. Adults over 21-years-old will be permitted personal possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. In Colorado, individuals will be allowed to grow up to six plants, while in Washington “grow your own” will remain illegal. As Reuters noted Wednesday:

[The ballot outcomes] put both states in further conflict with the federal government, which classifies cannabis as an illegal narcotic. The U.S. Department of Justice reacted to the measure’s passage in Colorado by saying its enforcement policies remain unchanged, adding: “We are reviewing the ballot initiative and have no additional comment at this time.”

“Federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly,” quipped Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat who opposed the measure. He stressed that he nonetheless intended to “follow through” and support voters’ legalization choice.

 

 

Although the Obama administration has stayed quiet on legalization ballot measures so far — despite encouragement from former DEA officials to crack down — there is early evidence of a coming state-federal showdown over the issue. As Matt Sledge noted at HuffPo, “On Sunday, a former senior adviser to the Obama administration’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, Kevin Sabet, told NBC News that ‘once these states actually try to implement these laws, we will see an effort by the Feds to shut it down.’”

In advance of Tuesday’s vote, The Economist pointed out that the impact of even state-level legalization alone could be “profound” in Mexico, where 60,000 have been killed by organized crime during the past six years.

 

 

 

Legalization, even in states like Washington where there is no huge drug market, would have a knock on effect in the U.S. market, which could undercut Mexico’s traffickers. The Economist notes:

[The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness] estimates that Mexico’s traffickers would lose about $1.4 billion of their $2 billion revenues from marijuana. The effect on some groups would be severe: the Sinaloa “cartel” would lose up to half its total income… Legalization could, in short, deal a blow to Mexico’s traffickers of a magnitude that no current policy has got close to achieving.

And, as Salon has previously reported, research on the ruinous effects of marijuana arrests (which are consistently racially skewed) even in states where possession is decriminalized, presents another strong legalization argument. With two state mandates for legalization and a growing permissiveness nationwide towards marijuana, the federal government not only faces powerful arguments and good reasoning against the drug war, but codified political opposition too.

 

Close

 

 

Natasha Lennard is an assistant news editor at Salon, covering non-electoral politics, general news and rabble-rousing. Follow her on Twitter @natashalennard, email nlennard@salon.com. More Natasha Lennard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.salon.com/2012/11/07/war_...g_of_the_end/?

[Tsigle]

Damn straight it's the beginning of the end. It might be dragged out a bit but ultimately it's inevitable, especially when quoting how much cartels are going to lose. And once America follows through Australia will start it's turn because let's face it, America being the one who started the prohibition and subsequently encouraged other countries to do the same will have to be the one to started the trend of legalisation.

 

I am going to have to smoke a ceremonial joint in honour of this day. It still might take longer than we expect but right now this is real.

[Mary Jane Stoner]

Scary how little mention it has had on the television news. News 24 talked about it for 30 seconds and in a disparaging way. They just laughed at the result like it was one of those light humourus pieces. People have used to cannabis being illegal for so long they think its normal. We should sue the governments of every nation participating in this prohibition over the last 75 years. Don't people understand they have had their human rights taken away for all that time? Why limit it to an ounce or have any limitations? Its a weed. Banning pot is like banning dandylions. The government has no right to tell people they can't pick dandylions and it has no right to say we can only grow 6 plants or a dozen or a million.

[Faith]

heya Maryj it humored me to read the fact(?) the fact that Washington does not have a 'hug' demand. Seattle?? I met a couple of girls from Seattle once......mumble

[Tsigle]

Scary how little mention it has had on the television news. News 24 talked about it for 30 seconds and in a disparaging way. They just laughed at the result like it was one of those light humourus pieces. People have used to cannabis being illegal for so long they think its normal. We should sue the governments of every nation participating in this prohibition over the last 75 years. Don't people understand they have had their human rights taken away for all that time? Why limit it to an ounce or have any limitations? Its a weed. Banning pot is like banning dandylions. The government has no right to tell people they can't pick dandylions and it has no right to say we can only grow 6 plants or a dozen or a million.

 

At least it's something.