Pubdate: Thu, 08 Nov 2012
Source: Spectrum, The (SUNY At Buffalo, NY Edu)
Copyright: 2012 The Spectrum Student Periodical, Inc
Contact: http://www.ubspectrum.com/contact-us
Website: http://www.ubspectrum.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3958

TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF

Colorado, Washington need to lead way for future marijuana legislation

Washington and Colorado became the first states to decriminalize
recreational marijuana use this week, and all bloodshot eyes are on
them to see what unfolds next.

The new law will allow adults over the age of 21 to buy as much as one
ounce from a licensed retailer in Washington and grows up to six
plants on private property in Colorado. Certification of the vote
could take about a month, but possession and growing operations would
become effective immediately. Massachusetts also jumped on board and
approved a measure to allow medical marijuana, becoming the 18th state
to permit it.

While this is a big step against the so-called "war against drugs" and
for marijuana reformation, the two states are now going to have to set
the example if they want to further the movement. And they're also
going to have to fight the good fight with the federal government.

Colorado and Washington governments are fine with citizens possessing
a little pot now, but the federal government isn't exactly fine with
it. In the past, it has frequently cracked down on larger medicinal
marijuana operations. But even though federal law still supersedes
state law, advocates should be optimistic. The government lacks the
resources and patience to prosecute people every time it hears someone
is carrying a small amount of pot.

The financial possibilities for the states are hard to ignore. No one
has yet to pinpoint exactly how much money can be made, but there are
anywhere from 25 million to 60 million U.S. marijuana consumers so
total spending may add up to $45 billion to $100 billion a year if the
cost of distribution stays the same.

On top of that, the new law could bring in $180 million in taxes and
savings over three years in Colorado and $500 million to $600 million
in taxes from pot shops annually in Washington.

So is New York ready for the same treatment? The short answer is
no.

A medical marijuana bill in New York has been introduced multiple
times so far and the Democrat-controlled Assembly has even passed it
twice during the past five years. The Republican-led Senate won't pass
the legislation, though, and a bill for recreational use hasn't even
been drafted yet.

A Quinnipiac University poll from two years ago found that 71 percent
of New York voters support doctor-prescribed medical marijuana. It
might be time to move forward on that legislation, but there are too
many polar opposites -- from Conservative Western New York to Liberal
Downstate New York -- in this state to start thinking about
introducing the idea of legal recreational use.

The first few months of legislation for Colorado and Washington are
going to be critical to see if this is a system that will actually
work. There are a lot of factors and issues that are going to have to
be scrutinized. For instance, how will this effect people in the
workplace? There's nothing in Colorado Amendment 64 that says that
employers have to allow people to smoke in the workplace (it's a
public place and most likely indoors, so it will probably not even be
an option anyways), but will employers have the ability to restrict
use when the work is not on the job?

What we're lacking right now is research -- non-political but
scientifically strong research. The only legal marijuana source for
research in America is -- wait for it -- the National Institute on
Drug Abuse, a clear conflict of interest for progression and unbiased
since NIDA has a mandate from Congress to only study substances of
abuse as such. Nothing about benefits or positives -- just what is bad
about it and why it should be continued to be banned.

There are a lot of little loopholes in this that give opponents of the
law some leeway even without fighting against it, especially with the
feds watching closely. The lens on Colorado and Washington is now
huge. It will be months until framework for businesses are set up and
over a year until state-approved marijuana stores can open, but the
first impression starts the moment the legislation is certified. The
government needs to be patient. It's time to try new things and see if
we can move forward.
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MAP posted-by: Matt