Pubdate: Thu, 19 Sep 2013
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2013 The New York Times Company
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Jeanne Kohl-Welles
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n468/a06.html

STATE MARIJUANA LAWS

Your recent editorial calling for federal clarification on marijuana
enforcement laws ("The Marijuana Muddle," Sept. 13) is well taken but
not the entire solution. Though federal authorities have an important
role in how marijuana sales are regulated and enforced, state and
local officials are at least as important.

As our state enacts our new recreational marijuana system after voter
approval of Initiative 502 last November, we must also clarify our
state's regulation of medical cannabis.

As one of 20 medical cannabis states, Washington is wrestling with how
to ensure that legitimate, authorized patients can safely and reliably
access medicine, while protecting the public and eliminating the black
market in our new recreational marijuana system.

We are addressing how to keep recreational users from trying to avoid
paying taxes in licensed stores by obtaining marijuana from currently
unregulated medical cannabis "dispensaries" and making sure we comply
with all eight provisions of the Justice Department's recently
released guidelines, including restricting minors from obtaining the
product.

JEANNE KOHL-WELLES
Olympia, Wash., Sept. 17, 2013

The writer is a state senator representing the 36th Legislative
District, in Seattle.
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