Pubdate: Thu, 28 May 2009
Source: Daily, The (U of WA, Edu)
Copyright: 2009 The Daily
Contact:  http://www.thedaily.washington.edu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1254
Author: Jackson Rohrbaugh
By Jackson Rohrbaugh
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? MARIJUANA IS LEGALIZED

Does marijuana have a shot at being legalized? If weed was suddenly 
made legal, there would be parties in the streets and green banners 
hung from windows and rafters everywhere in Seattle.

In a recent KOMO news story, a Wallingford man was robbed by four men 
posing as FBI agents on a drug raid. They made off with several 
pounds of the green booty and left him dazed and confused. The police 
responded to his robbery call and in the process, found dozens of 
marijuana plants in his house. They took it upon themselves to cart 
off his crops.

If I were the police, I'd be more concerned about fake FBI agents 
breaking and entering than I would a home-hydroponics project. It's a 
good bet that similar seizures take place on a regular basis. Even 
though Washington state allows medicinal possession and use of 
marijuana, there are no other provisions in the law. A 60-day supply 
is allowed for authorized users, but growing and supplying other 
users is a sticky web, and this is what our unscrupulous hero got 
caught in. He was growing quite a bit more than 60 days' worth.

Possessing and growing more than 15 plants can net you legal 
challenges and penalties. So it's quasi-legal to "spark an L" in 
Seattle, but if you don't toe the line, you'll be in trouble. I 
wonder what the side effects of gradual legalization would be.

Would every day turn into a solstice parade? Would free-spirited 
Seattleites in hemp threads ride their bikes to "coffeeshops" like 
some American Amsterdam? Maybe every weekend would be another 
Bumbershoot or Folklife, and parks would host spontaneous drum 
circles. I think the plant is powerful enough to effect that sort of 
change, for better or for worse. Hempfest would either flourish or 
cease to exist from waning demand.

The character of marijuana is entirely different than that of other 
villified drugs. It doesn't addict like meth or heroin; it has a much 
milder influence on the user, and it's all natural. It's greener than 
alcohol because it can be grown right in your backyard or basement.

It's used quite a bit in Seattle. I don't use, but I do smell it 
around Greenlake all the time. It's either one guy who's always 
there, or a group of people who take turns making their presence 
smelt. Every festival, outdoor concert and the occasional walk in the 
park is bound to elicit a little of that oregano and chive skunkiness 
as long as you're in Seattle.

So on behalf of all the stoners out there, I think the city should 
reconsider its attitude toward something that grows in the earth and 
does very little harm to anyone. If it ever became something that 
contributed to crime, violence or agression, we'd have cause for 
concern, but I don't think relaxing the standards on a relaxant will do that.

It helps people with chronic illness feel better, and it helps people 
with chronic stress chill out. It can't be all that bad. Just do a 
favor to any homeowners you know with brightly lit basements and keep 
quiet. You may be cutting off an HIV or cancer patient's supply of 
pain medication.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom