Washington and Colorado Citizens to Vote for Marijuana Legalization

    SPOKANE, WA, March 04, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- It is likely that both the people of Washington and Colorado will have the chance to vote on marijuana legalization initiatives this November. Marijuana lawyers in both states are preparing to interpret the new laws.

In Washington State, sufficient signatures were gathered for Initiative-502 which would legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for people over 21. The initiative would open marijuana stores and regulate the drug much like alcohol. The initiative is controversial in Washington State among drug reform advocates for a number of reasons. The law would set a "per se" limit allowing drivers to operate motor vehicles only if they had less than 5 ng/mL of THC in their blood. The law would prohibit operation of motor vehicles by teenagers at any level. Reform advocates are also concerned about steps the federal government might take to pre-empt the law. The lawyers who wrote I-502 admit the law isn't perfect, but offer it as a politically realistic way to pass the first, modern-era marijuana legalization bill. Proponents of I-502 believe that a voter initiative for legalization will never pass if voters' concerns over "stoned" drivers aren't addressed. The biggest opposition for the bill seems to be coming from patient rights organizations. Many marijuana patients fear that a 5 nanogram limit for drivers could prohibit many patients from driving even hours after they have medicated. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs have also opposed the initiative out of fear that it would allow drug use to increase.

In Colorado, voters will get the chance to vote on Initiative 30, which backers say would likewise regulate marijuana like alcohol. Initiative 30 would make it lawful for anyone over 21 to possess and use up to 1 ounce of marijuana, or give to another adult the same quantity. The initiative would also permit a person to have three mature marijuana plants and three immature plants. The law would not permit the use of marijuana in public. The initiative would create a large regulatory system that would govern the use, sale and taxing of marijuana by the government. Much like the Washington initiative, Colorado's I-30 has received some criticism from patients groups. Current Colorado law permits medical patients to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana already, and many citizens have had prior bad experiences dealing with the Department of Revenue over medical marijuana. Other legalization advocates have pointed out that the current Colorado law makes the possession of marijuana under 2 ounces a "petty offense" punishable only by a $100 fine. If the law passes, the lawyers of Colorado would need to work out the contradictory language in the law. The November elections well show how voters respond to both initiatives.

Steve Graham is a Spokane criminal defense lawyer, and he regularly blogs on the subject of marijuana laws.

Website: http://www.grahamdefense.com

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