Pubdate: Sun, 15 Apr 2012
Source: Tri-City Herald (WA)
Copyright: 2012 Tri-City Herald
Contact:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/459
Author: John Trumbo

GROUP WANTS POT TO BE LOW PRIORITY FOR RICHLAND POLICE

Richland residents can expect to see petitions this summer asking the 
city council to approve a low-priority law-enforcement policy on marijuana use.

Richland and several other cities in Central Washington that allow 
for citizen petitions regarding proposed ordinances have been 
targeted for the campaign by a pro-medical marijuana organization 
called Washington SAFER Coalition, based in Spokane.

Ian Moody, who also founded Sensible Spokane Alliance, said petitions 
calling for a Richland ordinance regarding licensing, taxation and 
regulation of marijuana, making it a low priority for Richland police 
to arrest adults on marijuana offenses are available at www.wasafer. org.

Moody said similar municipal petition campaigns are being conducted 
in Yakima, Wenatchee and Chelan. There is no campaign in Kennewick or 
Pasco because those cities do not allow citizen initiatives, he said.

The Richland campaign will need 20 percent of the registered voters, 
or just more than 9,100, by mid-October to qualify for having a 
special election in 2013, Moody said.

"Even if we don't get this on the ballot, we'll continue to work on 
it locally," Moody said.

Seattle approved a low-priority law-enforcement policy on marijuana 
nine years ago, and Tacoma did the same last year, Moody said.

Spokane has been a target for the effort for years but still hasn't 
approved the policy.

Moody claims Hispanics and blacks across the state are arrested on 
marijuana violations four times more than whites. Having a 
low-priority policy would change that, he said.

"Seattle (with its user-friendly policy about marijuana) is basically 
a little utopia over there, but we shouldn't expect the same in 
Eastern Washington," Moody said.

Having a low-priority policy for law enforcement would open the way 
for regulation and taxation of marijuana. That could reduce the 
market for illegal transactions and lower criminal activities in 
Central Washington, Moody said.

Additionally, Moody said a low-priority policy would send a message 
to federal agents.

"It is important for local entities to make it clear they do not want 
federal agents to interfere," he said.

The petition effort in Richland does not yet have a local coordinator.

"This will be an all-volunteer effort, and it involves medical 
marijuana people, which can be like herding cats," Moody said.

Richland city attorney Thomas Lampson had no comment about the petition effort.
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