The prosecutor's offices for two Washington counties - including the one that contains Seattle - announced today they will dismiss 175 misdemeanor marijuana possession charges, days after the state's voters legalized the drug.
The dropped cases all involve arrests of individuals age 21 and older for possessing one ounce or less of marijuana.
Washington state voters passed Initiative 502 on Tuesday, thus legalizing and regulating the production, possession, and distribution of cannabis for people ages 21 and older.
The initiative is set to take effect December 6, though King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg decided to act before then.
"There is no point in continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal next month," Satterberg said in a news release.
The King County Sheriff's Office subsequently announced that, in light of the county prosecutor's decision, its deputies "will not be directed to arrest or charge individuals caught with one ounce or less of marijuana."
This decision affects efforts only in the unincorporated part of the county, with the sheriff's office noting that leaders in 12 municipalities in the county will decide how deputies act between now and December 6 in their locales.
Mark Lindquist, the prosecutor for Pierce County in Washington state, said his office will dismiss simple marijuana possession cases as well. But cases in which a person is charged with other crimes, in addition to marijuana possession, will still stand, Lindquist said.
The Washington referendum called for a 25% tax rate imposed on the product three times - when the grower sells it to the processor, when the processor sells it to the retailer, and when the retailer sells it to the customer.
It is one of two marijuana-related ballot initiatives that passed this week. Amendment 64 in Colorado will amend the state constitution to legalize and regulate the production, possession, and distribution of marijuana for persons ages 21 and older.
But Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper warned after his state's vote that it's too soon to "break out the Cheetos," because his state and presumably Washington state must still navigate federal laws before citizens can legally buy and sell cannabis.
And germane to the Washington and Colorado initiatives, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a statement Wednesday morning saying its "enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged."
"In enacting the Controlled Substances Act, Congress determined that marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance," the DEA said. "The Department of Justice is reviewing the ballot initiatives, and we have no additional comment at this time."
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Just "rolled" into King County!
Saving tax dollars already.
~
So 'my friend' is about to head down to 7-11 and he wants to buy a 'dime bag' but since he always loses things when he is stoned, he wants to only bring exact change.
Should he bring $10.00 + $2.50 + $2.50 + $2.40 = $17.50
or
Should he bring $10.00 + $2.50 + $3.13 + $3.90 = $19.53
Tell 'your friend' to bring ten bucks.
The tax thing is becoming an issue is it not?
Whatever it is, it's better than sending it to Mexico.
Actually the heavy taxes will drive down the price. A dime bag will likely cost 2$. +.50+.50+.50 = $3.50. Yup!
I really don't understand how the DEA can watch all these states decriminalize this plant but are still calling this a scheduled 1 narcotic... Read the definition of what makes a scheduled 1 narcotic and you will see just how ridiculous this agency really is.
The US would first have to withdraw from at least one treaty before it could legalize marijuana.
Spoken like true progressives legal freedom to buy a damn weed for crying out loud.
You did no more than allow the state to profit and have even stricter limitations on something they had no right butting their noses into in the first place.
YOU guys must be on some heavy ........
PEACE OFFICERS TAKE NOTICE
Do the people who had their cases dismissed get their stuff back?
No, charlie, the cops already smoked it.
Tricky DICK Nixon had potplaced under "Schedule 1 Narcotic." It was considered ridiculous then and it still is now.As long as pot has the distinction of being listed with Heroin, there will be issues with legalizing it. The Nixon/Republican Legacy lives on!
Welcome to the free world USA! Puff Puff Blow!
Anything goes in this country now.Gay marriage,abortion on demand,pot,transgender operations paid for by tax money,you name it and you can do it in the good ole US of A.Stand by to see just how wild things can get in the next four years.America is rotten to the core.Study the fall of other world powers from the past and see how America is falling right in line with them.It was nice while it lasted but now we are just another third world outfit not much different than Mexico or any central american country.
jimmy, it is time to leave the 20th century.
Who cares?
Can anyone answer me this question? Say it is fully passed, well is there any scrutiny as to who can smoke? Meaning doctors and nurses taking care of patients or prison guards. Basically high risk jobs. How could that even be feasible.
Well if like Canada basically its treated like drinking if you cant work or drive drunk then you cant be high either
Gee, lets use some common sense here. Marijuana has no effect on your job if your not consuming on your worktime. Period. It actually has less effect than alcohol. If you get drunk the night before on alcohol you can wake up have a hang over and still be drunk. Marijuana doesn't have that effect. It only lasts around 2 hours. Any high skilled jobs or any job for that matter is work time not your time you shouldn't be intoxicated on anything use some common sense please.
The states will probably use the same guidelines in place for alcohol.
Aww. Ella's mad because she talked down on pot for so long and now is too old and pathetic to attempt trying it. Good riddance.
So Ella, in your little mind, ALL pot smokers are hippies?
All hippies are brain dead!!
definitely stupid...washington just earned a new state motto "the gateway state for cartel enteprises" not gonna stop with just marijuana...mary jane is not the kinner girl to fly solo...govenor your coffers dedicated to crime just got heavier...
Come to Seattle and see how much its booming here mate. And the only thing I need with my chronic is an espresso. This whole gateway stuff I think applies to kids and this law only makes it legal for adults over 21. And Im pretty sure if you are a republican, the banning of harmless substances for adults should be a big no-no. Or are you one of those folks that looks at cannabis as some type of magic plant? lol
It looks pretty magical to me right now.
Of course you know, there are a lot of us who would like to shoot all the rednecks too.
Not true. Hippies did their thing and changed alot of things in this country for the better. Then they got married, got jobs, got morgtgages, had children, coached little league, soccer, and grew old.
time to invest in phillip morris again. big tobacco will drive prices down and drive the private grower out of business.