We’ve had quite the busy week doing interviews and such with the media. Last evening initiative co-author Vivian McPeak was on KOMO-TV news at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Today, Seattle blog The Sun Break has a nice write up on our initiative and The Stranger includes us in an article on how various marijuana-related bills are doing in the State Legislature–not well; neither decrim or legalization and taxation are expected to pass both houses, opines the paper–which is why support for our initiative by the public is crucial.
About us, The Stranger noted:
Still, some want to try going for broke with an initiative. On January 11, a new group called Sensible Washington filed an initiative that would legalize marijuana outright.
“There are just not enough people in the house and senate willing to step up and vote for it,” says Philip Dawdy, coauthor of the initiative and a freelance journalist. With plans to get the measure on the ballot for under $100,000, the ambitious pot measure has more than an uphill battle. Passing it would be like climbing Mount Everest while fighting the Huns. But the steep fight of an initiative may be the only way Washington will ever change pot laws—even taking a moderate step like decriminalizing possession of small amounts, never mind legalizing pot completely.
“Sometimes you have to do things by initiative because the legislature doesn’t want to do it,” said Speaker Chopp, speaking about controversial proposals. Is the legislature shirking its responsibility by asking the public to pick up the tab for an expensive initiative? “I’m not advocating that we do initiatives. I’m just saying sometimes that’s the way to get things done,” he said.
Climbing Mount Everest while battling the Huns? Sounds like our kind of fun.
In other news, we appreciate Speaker Chopp’s sense of how sensible marijuana legal reform will likely have to happen…through an initiative. As it so happens, we know where just such an initiative can be found.
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Neither House Bill is worth a damn. 1177 just lowers the charge of possession from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction , basically making it a $100 fine for first offense ,second offense twice the fine, third offense ????But this bill does NOT REPEAL the states MedMar law (69.51 RCW)
HB 2401 REPEALS the states MedMar laws legal protections for patients to grow their own Cannabis, and turns over all production and sale of Cannabis over to the state….
Then there is HB 2434 which just totally undoes the MedMar laws.
I do not support either Bill.
I will work to see that the initiative put forth by Sensible Washington gets to the November elections, and with a little luck we might be able to outright legalize Cannabis.
Where can such an initiative be found?