Pubdate: Fri, 07 Dec 2012
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2012 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Author: Kim Murphy
Page: A22

NEW MARIJUANA LAW SPARKS CELEBRATION IN WASHINGTON

SEATTLE - More than 100 hard-core tokers gathered under the Space
Needle at the stroke of midnight to light one up in celebration of the
state's new marijuana law, which made it legal on Thursday for those
21 and older to possess an ounce or less of pot.

Voters in Washington and Colorado approved the nation's first
recreational marijuana laws in November. The Colorado law doesn't take
effect until January.

The Washington initiative allows for pot possession, but it's still
illegal to buy, sell or grow marijuana.

Although smoking publicly remains against the law, that didn't stop
the bandanna-wearing crew puffing on pipes and joints under a chilly
night sky early Thursday. And it appeared the Seattle Police
Department was not in the mood to arrest anyone on a night most seemed
to take as celebratory.

"The Dude abides, and says, 'Take it inside!' " the police department
posted on its blotter, under a photo of Jeff Bridges in "The Big Lebowski."

The department issued a bulletin to officers directing them "until
further notice" to take no enforcement action, other than a verbal
warning, against those violating the new law, known as Initiative 502.

"We had a city ordinance prior to this that said marijuana enforcement
was our lowest enforcement priority," said police department spokesman
Jeff Kappel.

The state's liquor control board, tasked with setting up regulations
to carry out the law, will draft a framework for licensing growers,
handlers and retailers that the initiative's supporters hope will put
black-market drug dealers out of business.

The state's existing medical marijuana law remains
unchanged.

"I think we have some ability to use our experience in regulating
liquor, which is to me a similar public safety kind of product," the
control board's administrative director, Pat Kohler, said in an
interview. "You want to ensure it doesn't get in the hands of minors,
and you want to make sure it doesn't get in the wrong hands, where it
can be used improperly."

State officials believe the hefty taxation on state-produced marijuana
called for under the law could bring in $2 billion over the next five
years.

Still unclear is what move may be next from the federal government,
which still considers marijuana possession a felony.

The U.S. attorney's office in Seattle issued a warning from the U.S.
Justice Department on Wednesday that said it was taking its
enforcement responsibility seriously.

"The department's responsibility to enforce the Controlled Substances
Act remains unchanged," the statement said. "Regardless of any changes
in state law, including the change that will go into effect on Dec. 6
in Washington state, growing, selling or possessing any amount of
marijuana remains illegal under federal law."

Likewise, it said, bringing pot onto any federal property, including
national parks and forests, military installations and courthouses,
would continue to be a poor idea.
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