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Monday, January 30, 2012

Olympia Washington Lawmakers Back Gregoire's Call for Marijuana Reclassification

Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 9:37 AM

Led by State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36), a group of 42 state lawmakers—including seven Republicans—have sent a letter to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency supporting Governor Chris Gregoire's request that marijuana be made a Schedule II controlled substance.

In a year when Washington citizens will be asked whether or not to challenge federal law by fully legalizing marijuana in this state, the lawmakers' letter gets right to the heart of the matter, stating: "The solution lies ultimately with the federal government."

That's not to say that Washington state getting out ahead of the federal government (by legalizing pot via initiative) isn't an important part of pushing the federal government to act.

In the end, though, even backers of the pot legalization initiative will tell you that life would be a lot more simple if the feds would just abandon the idea that pot is just as dangerous as heroin, ditch a designation that these lawmakers are calling "fundamentally flawed," and take marijuana off the Schedule I controlled substances list.

Comments (7) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

how many people die each year because of alcohol (as a result of over indulgence and DUI accidents, etc...) vs. heroin?

Posted by Gordon Werner on January 30, 2012 at 9:47 AM

and then how many die because of pot?

Posted by Gordon Werner on January 30, 2012 at 9:48 AM

#2

That's the problem...we just don't know.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on January 30, 2012 at 9:56 AM

@2 very very few. Most from house fires. Less than smokers in general.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on January 30, 2012 at 10:51 AM

If Cannabis were treated like a normal drug, imagine how boring it would be. Go to the doctor, get a prescription for a pill manufactured by Pfizer that will manage your pain but not get you high.

Posted by Asbel on January 30, 2012 at 12:17 PM

Uhhhh, in the State of Washington, cannabis is STILL a Schedule I substance. The MMJ law DID NOT take cannabis out of the state Schedule I. Until the State of Washington officially removes cannabis from the State Schedule I, this is a very hypocritical request. The DEA has NO power to make cannabis Schedule II without the appropriate formalities. There must be evidence to back the request, not just a wish list by politicians.

Posted by pupuguru on January 30, 2012 at 12:39 PM

Washington State doesn't have the same schedules as the federal government, but it does have outright bans and varying penalties. So we have people on one hand saying that WA state needs to legalize weed in order to justify the Feds doing the same, and people on the other hand saying the Federal law trumps and needs to be changed before WA state can act. The whole point of prohibitionist law is to tie it all up in as big a Gordian knot as possible so there can't ever be movement to legalize drugs. We need to attack it at every angle, every chance we get, until people can use their drugs of choice safely and responsibly and legally.

Posted by NaFun