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Main Forums => Politics => Topic started by: MillCreek on January 28, 2012, 10:41:23 AM

Title: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: MillCreek on January 28, 2012, 10:41:23 AM
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2012/01/27/cannabis-initiative-captures-place-on-ballot/


So we will apparently see a ballot measure on marijuana here in Washington.  This will be interesting.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: MicroBalrog on January 29, 2012, 02:33:35 AM
Quote
I-502 would license and regulate distribution of marijuana under supervision of the state Liquor Control Board.  Cannabis would be sold, to those over 21, in marijuana-only state stores.

How would this... work?

I mean to say, doesn't marijuana come in all sorts of types and breeds and sizes, and aren't there various marijuana products made for smoking, inhaling, eating?

How will a state board figure out which kinds to carry? I sort of doubt any people on that board understand marijuana.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Nick1911 on January 29, 2012, 02:58:37 AM
Good!
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: roo_ster on January 29, 2012, 09:10:23 AM
How would this... work?

I mean to say, doesn't marijuana come in all sorts of types and breeds and sizes, and aren't there various marijuana products made for smoking, inhaling, eating?

How will a state board figure out which kinds to carry? I sort of doubt any people on that board understand marijuana.

Maybe this is their chance to find out!
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: charby on January 29, 2012, 09:17:30 AM
How would this... work?

I mean to say, doesn't marijuana come in all sorts of types and breeds and sizes, and aren't there various marijuana products made for smoking, inhaling, eating?

How will a state board figure out which kinds to carry? I sort of doubt any people on that board understand marijuana.

Holland has it figured out
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 29, 2012, 09:21:57 AM
Quote
I-502 would license and regulate distribution of marijuana under supervision of the state Liquor Control Board.  Cannabis would be sold, to those over 21, in marijuana-only state stores.

Marijuana only? No munchies?  :facepalm:  This is why government can't even run a whorehouse.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: French G. on January 29, 2012, 09:22:57 AM
Yep, state employee training finally got useful. "Dood, I was in training all day!"

-"Wow, sorry, I hate those boring things."

"No man, it was beautiful!"

Come to think of it, given the kind of pinkos that often inhabit state bureaucrat jobs I'm guessing there is plenty of knowledge.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: kgbsquirrel on January 29, 2012, 09:28:07 AM
How would this... work?

I mean to say, doesn't marijuana come in all sorts of types and breeds and sizes, and aren't there various marijuana products made for smoking, inhaling, eating?

How will a state board figure out which kinds to carry? I sort of doubt any people on that board understand marijuana.

I would imagine that as a liquor store carries many, many different beverages and what not, the marijuana store would likewise be similarly diversified.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: MillCreek on January 29, 2012, 11:20:27 AM
The interesting thing to me is that we passed an initiative last year allowing for private stores to sell liquor.  So the state liquor stores are going away.  Is this some attempt to save those jobs by selling marijuana instead of alcohol in these stores?
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: sumpnz on January 29, 2012, 10:37:55 PM
I would imagine that as a liquor store carries many, many different beverages and what not, the marijuana store would likewise be similarly diversified.

You obviously haven't spent much time liquor shopping in WA.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: CNYCacher on January 29, 2012, 10:49:51 PM
In NYS we have liquor stores that are state licensed but not state run, they are privately owned.  They are not allowed to sell anything below a minimum alcohol content.  They have wine and liquor, but no beer.  Beer you can get at any grocery store or gas station, including beer with higher alcohol content than some wines, and even beer with some fruit in it, but you can't buy liquor or wine anywhere but liquor stores.  Liquor stores also can't sell any kind of food or any other products, except incidentals to the consumption of liquor and wine, like flasks, wine glasses, etc, but even that is a recent change.

NYS has a large wine industry and three times we have had bills proposed to allow wine to be sold in grocery stores, and each time they were defeated with a lot of help from liquor store owners.

Damn nutty is what it all is.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: BobR on January 29, 2012, 10:59:06 PM
It all sounds well and good until the Feds wake up and decide it is time to raid the sellers of the product, like they did a few months ago to the medicinal pot "dispensaries".

bob
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Nick1911 on January 29, 2012, 11:15:23 PM
In NYS we have liquor stores that are state licensed but not state run, they are privately owned.  They are not allowed to sell anything below a minimum alcohol content.  They have wine and liquor, but no beer.  Beer you can get at any grocery store or gas station, including beer with higher alcohol content than some wines, and even beer with some fruit in it, but you can't buy liquor or wine anywhere but liquor stores.  Liquor stores also can't sell any kind of food or any other products, except incidentals to the consumption of liquor and wine, like flasks, wine glasses, etc, but even that is a recent change.

NYS has a large wine industry and three times we have had bills proposed to allow wine to be sold in grocery stores, and each time they were defeated with a lot of help from liquor store owners.

Damn nutty is what it all is.

Mississippi is like this.  I was very confused when I couldn't find beer in a liquor store.  I asked to clerk where the beer was, and he told me I had to buy it at the Kroger across the street.   ???

I'm use to Kansas.  No blue laws, liquor stores are open late, and beer/wine can be found at QuickTrip and Walmart.

It'll be intesting to see if this bill passes; what fall out this will have on culture, as well as the relationship between states and the feds.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: sumpnz on January 30, 2012, 12:13:39 AM
When did KS repeal the blue laws?  I seem to recall an inability to buy EtOH in any potable form on Sunday when I lived in Wichta.  Granted that was 12 years ago.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Stetson on January 30, 2012, 11:31:33 PM
Colorado has the medical marijuana dispensaries.  They have the foods infused with it (butter, cookies, cakes), and the stuff you smoke.  The stuff you smoke is regulated for quality.  You would have to have a card that allows you to buy from one of these places.  I could get one due to chronic pain but it would ruin my security clearance AND I have no need for the stuff.

My mom is a home care/hospice nurse and some of her patients need it.  One person smokes it, the other uses the butter.  They tell her how it affects their pain and she makes recommendations to the doctors for pain management.  More have used it until the pain was under control via other means (healing, medication balance) and gotten off of it than have stayed on it.

Everyone reacts differently to it.  Some it will help, some will do nothing but sit around and smoke it but they do that anyway, and some don't want anything to do with it.  No one is forced to do it.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: T.O.M. on February 01, 2012, 09:14:20 AM
This could get really interesting, as it would essentially be the State of Washington selling and the US trying to enforce federal laws by prosecuting state employees.  If the feds want to make a big deal out of it, they go up the chain prosecuting state officials as co-conspirators.  Heck, they may even be able to initiate RICO charges against the state government.  This could really push the issue of federal laws regarding marihuana sale and use.  (Sorry for the spelling, but that's how it is spelled in Ohio law, so that's how I spell it).

Can you imagine the political uproar if the feds executed arrest warrants for Washington state officials based upon this?  Call me crazy, but I kind of hope it goes this way.  Pass me the popcorn... [popcorn]
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: 41magsnub on February 01, 2012, 11:36:56 AM
This could get really interesting, as it would essentially be the State of Washington selling and the US trying to enforce federal laws by prosecuting state employees.  If the feds want to make a big deal out of it, they go up the chain prosecuting state officials as co-conspirators.  Heck, they may even be able to initiate RICO charges against the state government.  This could really push the issue of federal laws regarding marihuana sale and use.  (Sorry for the spelling, but that's how it is spelled in Ohio law, so that's how I spell it).

Can you imagine the political uproar if the feds executed arrest warrants for Washington state officials based upon this?  Call me crazy, but I kind of hope it goes this way.  Pass me the popcorn... [popcorn]

Don't laugh...  http://missoulian.com/news/local/dea-inquiries-into-medical-marijuana-industry-include-legislators/article_54b1b528-4a3a-11e1-99bc-001871e3ce6c.html (http://missoulian.com/news/local/dea-inquiries-into-medical-marijuana-industry-include-legislators/article_54b1b528-4a3a-11e1-99bc-001871e3ce6c.html)
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Balog on February 01, 2012, 12:24:12 PM
The possibility of politicians going to federal penitentiary is only one of the many reasons to love this proposal.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Buzzcook on February 08, 2012, 10:08:34 PM
Even if this passes it won't be implemented. Obama and the Fed hate marijuana for medical uses, they'll come down on legalization like a ton of bricks.

If the democrats and supposed libertarians in congress would grow a set...never mind.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: De Selby on February 08, 2012, 11:32:22 PM
I was watching one of those cop shows over the weekend - they had a CO sherriff's office with really, really fat officers raiding a "professional grow" in suburbia.  They were wearing ninja masks and protective gear to handle all of those deadly mary jane plants.  One guy even put on a respirator to move the leaves.

The war on drugs is pure comedy.  Spending money on SWAT teams to stop people from getting high while millions of people are killing themselves legally with alcohol rates in my eyes as one of the dumbest policies in America. 

It'd be more socially useful and less ridiculous for them to spend the DEA's budget and employ its personnel to make higher quality drugs, and to raid people who put out low quality crap.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: RevDisk on February 09, 2012, 09:39:50 AM
The possibility of politicians going to federal penitentiary is only one of the many reasons to love this proposal.

That would get interesting in a real hurry. On the plus side, some federal agencies would get smacked hard. On the negative side, a lot of people who are doing nothing wrong would be punished.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: longeyes on February 09, 2012, 11:21:32 AM
The War on Drugs is pure comedy.  Probably true.  But Addict America is pure tragedy, wouldn't you say?  How many Americans can get through the day, much less the night, without jiggling their brains any more?
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Blakenzy on February 09, 2012, 11:56:13 AM
Quote
How many Americans can get through the day, much less the night, without jiggling their brains any more?

Probably only a hand full, or maybe even none. If you are to follow that line of thought you must include ALL drugs, Govt. sanctioned and outlawed. Let's start with the morning special: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YDigBhs9Xg

As far as legalizing the now much derided, feared and ILLEGAL Cannabis, there are faaaaaar worse drugs out there that have squeaky clean legal status and widespread use.

Any law allowing the legal sale of Cannabis must also allow for individuals to grow their own plants, on their own property, for their own personal non-profit consumption with out external interference. Legalizing sale alone through state controlled stores doesn't necessarily free people from oppressive laws that criminalize non violent offenders.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Nick1911 on February 09, 2012, 12:05:18 PM
Excellent point.  People often forget that almost everyone slams themselves with psychoactive stimulants first thing in the morning 7 days a week.  We have since the industrial revolution.

When in a conversation about "recreational drug use" with some coworkers, none of them though that phrase would include caffeine.  Umm, hello?  That's practically the definition; it's just been redefined by the WoD to mean (currently) illegal substances for most Americans.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: MillCreek on February 09, 2012, 12:29:09 PM
Come and get my French press from my cold, dead hands.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: longeyes on February 09, 2012, 12:46:40 PM
 =D
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: roo_ster on February 09, 2012, 02:07:21 PM
I was watching one of those cop shows over the weekend - they had a CO sherriff's office with really, really fat officers raiding a "professional grow" in suburbia.  They were wearing ninja masks and protective gear to handle all of those deadly mary jane plants.  One guy even put on a respirator to move the leaves.

The war on drugs is pure comedy.  Spending money on SWAT teams to stop people from getting high while millions of people are killing themselves legally with alcohol rates in my eyes as one of the dumbest policies in America. 

It'd be more socially useful and less ridiculous for them to spend the DEA's budget and employ its personnel to make higher quality drugs, and to raid people who put out low quality crap.

This, with bells on it.

Come and get my French press from my cold, dead hands.

Amen, Brother, Amen.

My press would still be warm from the last pot of fresh-ground coffee.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: sumpnz on February 09, 2012, 11:12:15 PM
When QE I was introduced to tea she made it her official breakfast beverage.  The previous preferred potable?  Ale.

Whatever the problems from the psychoactive properties of caffeine it was probably one of the requirements for the industrial revolution.  People are a lot more productive buzzed on tea or java than after their morning mug of ale.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: longeyes on February 10, 2012, 11:06:19 AM
Coffee, cigarettes, and chocolate powered the Enlightenment.  Thank you, New World, full of such wonders!
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: roo_ster on February 10, 2012, 01:45:54 PM
When QE I was introduced to tea she made it her official breakfast beverage.  The previous preferred potable?  Ale.

Whatever the problems from the psychoactive properties of caffeine it was probably one of the requirements for the industrial revolution.  People are a lot more productive buzzed on tea or java than after their morning mug of ale.

Both were preferable to drinking the water at the time, due to water-borne disease.  BUt, tea is less likely to destroy the liver.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: gunsmith on February 10, 2012, 02:27:23 PM
I smoked ciggs for yrs and yrs, I quit right before I became sober in the early 90's.

It seems to me that the USA is way over medicated. I quit smoking ciggs using pot so I guess I can concur it has some medicinal value.

However during the depression medicinal use of alcohol skyrocketed, if ciggs were outlawed you bet there would be a sudden interest in medical ciggs.

Yet now in the recovery world where people have asked God to help them with their serious addictions
& in default world where people see the need to stop smoking ciggs - folks seem unable to do it without psychiatric medications like "Chantrix" or however you spell it.

Weed should be sold anywhere you sell beer, with the same laws-be 21 or over, but that law stinks too imo if you're old enough to carry a machine gun for the military you're old enough to smoke/drink or whatever floats your boat.

count me out though, btdt.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Grebnaws on February 10, 2012, 06:51:26 PM
The ale for breakfast or ale in place of water was not beer as we know it today. It was a "small beer" of very modest alcohol (less than 3% abv) brewed specifically to be more nourishing and less intoxicating than today's common beverage. Naturally the brewing process makes it safer to drink than untreated water. The alcohol also has a preservative effect but the thick, sweet, unattenuated ale is also a good source of calories. Sure, some of that barley could have been eaten in whole form instead of being processed but not all nutrition is lost. Yeast is healthy and I don't think there is really anything dangerous capable of living in beer than is dangerous to consume, though it may not taste good. I don't know this for a fact but this is what I learned while getting into homebrew about 10 years ago. I have not brewed anything for 5 years or more. I do suspect that shorter life expectancy in historical times negated the prolonged effects of alcohol abuse that we are now familiar with. The increase in cost and rarity probably made heavy consumption more inconvenient, to say nothing of modern serving sizes. I wasn't alive to see it but I have trouble believing some modern notions that entire populations would have been drunk all day, every day, for centuries on end. It's just alcohol. A little bit taken a few times a day does not necessarily make you inebriated, unhealthy, or less productive. Ounce for ounce in your average beer variety I find alcohol to be just as stimulating (the perceived affect) both mentally and physically as coffee. Your mileage may vary. I feel quite gifted in this regard  =D

FWIW  I have heard the tradition of kvass, a related type of bready low alcohol nourishment, is still common in Russia. I also drink far, far greater quantities of caffeine than alcohol.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Blakenzy on February 10, 2012, 07:00:34 PM

Mmmm... Beer.

http://beeradvocate.com/

Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: sumpnz on February 10, 2012, 09:00:52 PM
Modern beer, with hops, did not exist until around the 18th century.  It was originally used as a preservative for long voyages at sea.  And yes, the ale consumed in the time of QE I was much lower alochol than what we drink today, plus being flat of course.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Viking on February 10, 2012, 09:26:53 PM
Both were preferable to drinking the water at the time, due to water-borne disease.  BUt, tea is less likely to destroy the liver.
It is, however, incredibly likely to turn a person into an insufferable ahole who extends their pinky finger while drinking it.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: MicroBalrog on February 10, 2012, 10:06:56 PM

FWIW  I have heard the tradition of kvass, a related type of bready low alcohol nourishment, is still common in Russia. I also drink far, far greater quantities of caffeine than alcohol.

Modern kvas has no, or virtually no, alcohol.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Blakenzy on February 11, 2012, 11:30:21 AM
Everything is a balancing act, actually. We are dependent on periodic stimulation of our many "drug receptors" to get about life normally. Think that zero influence from drugs is good? Even our own internally produced psychoactive substances? Extreme sobriety?

This is a very interesting article from a biochemist that literally "uses" what he studies. He does go over the top, though.

http://www.vice.com/read/new-frontiers-of-sobriety-984-v16n8
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Grebnaws on February 12, 2012, 11:30:39 AM
Modern beer, with hops, did not exist until around the 18th century.  It was originally used as a preservative for long voyages at sea.  And yes, the ale consumed in the time of QE I was much lower alochol than what we drink today, plus being flat of course.

I have yet to unpack my brewing library and am attempting to draw on retained knowledge from the book Radical Brewing. As I recall hops were used much earlier than the 18th century with the 14th-15th centuries being the crossover years into hop territory. I know there were many alternatives for flavoring and preservation before this, including some toxic alternatives that were probably more dangerous than the alcohol itself. Carbonation is naturally present post fermentation and during conditioning. Old casks even had special devices called spiles inserted into the bung specifically for regulating carbonation levels. Traditional low pressure hand pumped beer would also have some forced carbonation but I don't know when bottle conditioning or kegging became the norm.

Sorry for the OT discussion. I know there are other forums for historical beer talk.
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: Blakenzy on February 12, 2012, 12:14:21 PM
Quote
Carbonation is naturally present post fermentation and during conditioning.

I thought that young Einstein invented the carbonation process by splitting beer atoms, in a shed in Tasmania...  :O  =D

BTW hop is closely related to cannabis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabaceae
Title: Re: Initiative to regulate marijuana on the ballot in Washington state
Post by: sumpnz on February 12, 2012, 12:36:38 PM
There's some natural carbonation in beer from the fermentation process.  But beer from before the days of sealed containers would have been flat by comparison to today's standards.