As I predicted in this week's paper, it looks like both marijuana bills in the state legislature—one to decriminalize pot possession and one to legalize pot completely—are up in smoke:

On Wednesday, the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee is expected to vote down bills dealing with legalization and decriminalization of marijuana.

Rep. Chris Hurst, chariman of the public safety panel, told me there are not enough votes to move either bill out of committee. While amendments to one or both bills could be proposed Wednesday, he did not envision enough minds would change to alter the outcome.

There are five Democrats and three Republicans on the committee. The Republicans will unite against the bills. Hurst and Rep. Al O'Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace, both former cops, each said they will oppose the bills.

If Washington state will ever change pot laws, it will be by an initiative. But it won't be a radical initiative that taxes and regulates pot—which would conflict with federal law and doesn't have enough public support to pass—it will be a measure to remove penalties for personal possession. The groups working on this ought to team up with Tim Eyman and get that sucker on the ballot this year, when the mid-term turnout is big.