Pubdate: Sun, 30 Jun 2013
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GXIzebQL
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Author: Alicia A. Caldwell, Associated Press

POT PROPONENTS BLAZE NEW TRAILS, BUT SOME WOULD BLUNT EFFORTS

State Laws Out of Joint With Federal Statutes

WASHINGTON (AP) - It took 50 years for American attitudes about 
marijuana to zigzag from the paranoia of "reefer Madness" to the 
excesses of Woodstock back to the hard line of "Just say No."

The next 25 years took the nation from Bill clinton, who famously 
"didn't inhale," to Barack obama, who emphatically did.

And now, in just a few short years, public opinion has moved so 
dramatically toward general acceptance that even those who champion 
legalization are surprised at how quickly attitudes are changing and 
states are moving to approve the drug for medical use and just for fun.

It is a moment in America that is rife with contradictions:

People are looking more kindly on marijuana even as science reveals 
more about the drug's potential dangers, particularly for young people.

States are giving the green light to the drug in direct defiance of a 
federal prohibition on its use.

Exploration of the potential medical benefit is limited by high 
federal hurdles to research.

Washington policymakers seem reluctant to deal with any of it

Richard Bonnie, a University of Virginia law professor who worked for 
a national commission that recommended decriminalizing marijuana in 
1972, sees the public taking a big leap from prohibition to a more 
laissez-faire approach without full deliberation.

"it's a remarkable story historically," he said. "But as a matter of 
public policy, it's a little worrisome. it's intriguing, it's 
interesting, it's good that liberalization is occurring, but it is a 
little worrisome."

More than a little worrisome to those in the anti-drug movement.

"We're on this hundred-mile-an-hour freight train to legalizing a 
third addictive substance," said Kevin Sabet, a former drug policy 
adviser in the Obama administration, lumping marijuana with tobacco 
and alcohol.

Legalization strategist Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the 
drug Policy Alliance, is happy about the direction the marijuana 
smoke is wafting. But he knows his side has considerable work yet to do.

"i'm constantly reminding my allies that marijuana is not going to 
legalize itself," he says.

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized the use 
of marijuana for medical purposes since california voters made the 
first move in 1996. Voters in Colorado and Washington state took the 
next step last year and approved pot for recreational use. Alaska is 
likely to vote on the same question in 2014, and a few other states 
are expected to put recreational use on the ballot in 2016.

Nearly half of adults have tried marijuana, 12 percent of them in the 
past year, according to a survey by the Pew research center. More 
teenagers now say they smoke marijuana than ordinary cigarettes.

Fifty-two percent of adults favor legalizing marijuana, up 11 
percentage points just since 2010, according to Pew. sixty percent 
think Washington shouldn't enforce federal laws against marijuana in 
states that have approved its use. seventy-two percent think 
government efforts to enforce marijuana laws cost more than they're worth.

Where California led the charge on medical marijuana, the next 
chapter in this story is being written in Colorado and Washington state.

Policymakers there are struggling with all sorts of sticky issues 
revolving around one central question: How do you legally regulate 
the production, distribution, sale and use of marijuana for 
recreational purposes when federal law bans all of the above?

The overarching question has big national implications. How do you do 
all of this without inviting the wrath of the federal government, 
which has been largely silent so far on how it will respond to a 
gaping conflict between U.s. and state law? r

The Justice department began reviewing the matter after last 
November's election and repeatedly has promised to respond soon. But 
seven months later, states still are on their own, left to parse 
every passing comment from the department and President obama.

In December, Obama said in an interview that "it does not make sense, 
from a prioritization point of view, for us to focus on recreational 
drug users in a state that has already said that under state law that's legal."

In April, Attorney General Eric Holder said to congress, "We are 
certainly going to enforce federal law. ... When it comes to these 
marijuana initiatives, i think among the kinds of things we will have 
to consider is the impact on children."

In May, Obama told reporters: "i honestly do not believe that 
legalizing drugs is the answer. But i do believe that a comprehensive 
approach  not just law enforcement, but prevention and education and 
treatment  that's what we have to do."

Rep. Jared Polis, a Colorado democrat who favors legalization, 
predicts Washington will take a hands-off approach, based on Obama's 
comments about setting law enforcement priorities.

"We would like to see that in writing," Polis says. "But we believe, 
given the verbal assurances of the president, that we are moving 
forward in Colorado and Washington in implementing the will of the voters."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom