Posted on 11/07/2012 9:01:24 AM PST by SeekAndFind
DENVER/SEATTLE (Reuters) - Colorado and Washington became the first U.S. states to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana for recreational use on Tuesday in defiance of federal law, setting the stage for a possible showdown with the Obama administration.
But another ballot measure to remove criminal penalties for personal possession and cultivation of recreational cannabis was defeated in Oregon, where significantly less money and campaign organization was devoted to the cause.
Supporters of a Colorado constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana were the first to declare victory, and opponents conceded defeat, after returns showed the measure garnering nearly 53 percent of the vote versus 47 percent against.
"Colorado will no longer have laws that steer people toward using alcohol, and adults will be free to use marijuana instead if that is what they prefer. And we will be better off as a society because of it," said Mason Tvert, co-director of the Colorado pro-legalization campaign.
The Drug Policy Alliance, a national advocacy group that backed the initiatives, said the outcome in Washington and Colorado reflected growing national support for liberalized pot laws, citing a Gallup poll last year that found 50 percent of Americans favored making it legal, versus 46 opposed.
Supporters of Washington state's pot legalization initiative declared victory after the Seattle Times and other media projected a win for marijuana proponents.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Doesn’t this really illustrate the electorate which has emerged?
All the lies about caring about kids and education, while you legalize drugs to destroy our kids.
Why the showdown with Obama? He is a “doobie brother” himself and worse. The showdown will be with the ATF and Justice department to justify their existence and gestapo tactics. Why the need for a billion rounds of hollow points and 100000 RPG’s, if drugs are legal? I am not for legalizing drugs, but to portray Obama as anti-drug is laughable.
No more busting down doors and shooting granny and her dog.
yessir I really see ZeeRow ChoomBama flexing Holders muscle to fight these States. /s
Showdown? This is what Obama wants! A nice drugged out permanently unemployed population is exactly what the socialist doctor ordered.
I don’t have any problem with legalizing this stuff. Living in socialist Europe I will give a word of warning to what will happen next though: drug legalization will probably result in more drug addicts emerging. What Repubs in America needs to do is stop any lifestyle subsidies towards these drug addicts. These subsidies will be proposed soon enough by social justice advocates.
If anyone wants to take illegal substances and mess up their own lives then thats fine by me. Just dont expect me to pay for others bad lifestyle choices.
In my life, I’ve seen far more damage done by people who drink alcohol on a regular basis than those that smoke weed on a regular basis. I’ve yet to come across convincing arguments for the continuing ban on marijuana.
Most kids are not alcoholics, why would legalizing marijuana make them potheads?
Not a libertarian, but must agree...
Relegalizing the mind-altering drug alcohol didn't lead to such a population - why would relegalizing marijuana do so?
“Relegalizing the mind-altering drug alcohol didn’t lead to such a population - why would relegalizing marijuana do so?”
Because they are different drugs, and have different long-term effects on the human body?
Cheech and Chong was a caricature, but it was based on real people. I grew up in 1970’s California, and watched my mother and her friends smoke themselves into fecklessness.
I think a lot of people watch too much tv and movies
There go another couple million in population from California..
you can have Dr high on weed come into the surgery and not suspect anything but have him take one drink, he's ushered out the door...
no one coming into the ER gets tested after an accident for weed...but even a slight smell will get you tested for alcohol usually...
“There go another couple million in population from California..”
Precious few of whom will be productive citizens.
Hmmm, maybe the libs will be too stoned to vote in the next election.
“What Repubs in America needs to do is stop any lifestyle subsidies towards these drug addicts.”
I have long argued against legalizing drugs on that very basis. If welfare were gone, I’d say fine. What happens next is two fold. First, more people who want to tune out and fire up. Two, more welfare for the “underclass” who are victims of the newly legal and even more abundant drugs that have “ruined” their lives.
What about thew 2nd hand smoke???/ are they goin to charge $5 Tax on a joint?????
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