Edmonds’ Rick Steves joins others in effort to legalize marijuana in state

Our online news partner The Seattle Times is reporting on an effort launched today by Edmonds-based travel guide Rick Steves, former U.S. Attorney John McKay and others to legalize marijuana in Washington state.

We reported on this discussion by McKay, Steves and others when they held a forum in Edmonds in November 2009

The group, led by the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, decided to push the initiative this spring after Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed most of a medical-marijuana bill that had passed the state Legislature, the Times said.

“We did some more public-opinion research, looked at the numbers and said, ‘Yeah, this is the time,’ ” said Alison Holcomb, campaign manager for the initiative and drug-policy director of the ACLU of Washington. The initiative would regulate the recreational use of marijuana in a way similar to how the state regulates alcohol.  For more information, see the Times article here.

  1. It is about time. Like probition where alcohol was readly avaible, marijuana is readily avaible and only the drug cartels and other criminals are making money. Lets regulate like alcohol and cigerates and as a side benefit collect taxes.

  2. The argument that I think could make a difference this time is money. It’s not just about all the taxes that could be collected from legalized sales. We could stop the flow of a lot of money into Mexico and Canada. I’d rather see that money spent at businesses here. Our economy needs help.

    Gambling was illegal here and generally frowned upon until the State figured out they could get a big piece of the action through the lottery.

    There’s no doubt that drug abuse is still a terrible problem, especially when it’s kids doing it. But we’ve waged the War on Drugs for 40 years and things have just gotten worse. Maybe it’s time to try something new that would let us treat drug abuse as a medical problem, not a criminal problem.

  3. I’m all about legalizing MJ. And, will be opening the first “coffee” shop in Edmonds. It will be called Pot & Pot. I’ve already reserved the trademark!

  4. I can’t believe what Im reading I guess you folks don’t worry too much about smoke in lungs like thats not a big deal !

  5. I don’t worry about smoke in lungs because I have chosen not to use cigarettes or marijuana.

    I do worry about liver damage, yet I still enjoy beer and wine. I worry about head-on collisions, yet I drive a car. I worry about hypothermia, yet I endure our winters. I worry about government waste, yet I pay my taxes.

    One thing I don’t worry about so much is what pleasures others choose to indulge in, even when those pleasures involve risks. I’m all for government protecting children and informing people about this risks, but we don’t need to criminalize life’s pleasures.

  6. Joe thats kind of funny because everyplace you work now a days they test you for drugs if you get hurt they test you for drugs if you fail any of the test you are terminated if you are are hurt and fail the test they fire you and won’t pay. If you use pot it stays in you system for a month or more, so theres more than the government worried about drugs, I don’t think changing the laws will change any of the workplace rules, Im not saying thats good or bad but if my life depends on a crane operator its nice to know he isn’t using drugs. FYI Ive been taking drug test for over 20 years and have never failed

  7. If they had a drug test that measured the psychoactive element in marijuana that causes impairment of reflexes and judgement, I’d be all for drug testing in safety-related jobs. But all of the available tests measure chemical components unrelated to impairment. That’s why they can detect drug use from a month ago.

    If my life depended on a crane operator, I’d be far more confident in the guy who smoked a joint a couple days ago than the guy who only got two hours of sleep, or the one who was just served divorce papers. But we don’t have any testing requirements for stuff like that.

  8. And for all of you “less taxes, smaller government” types, decriminalizing personal drug use just might reduce our prison population. Which means we can close some prisons, instead of springing them up all over, and touting them as some sort of job-creation program.

  9. hey todd go into seattle take the expressway when you get off look to your left there are people living there in sleepingbags guess what thats what happens with drug use its not pretty so you can all talk about how nice it would be to have legal drugs etc etc the reality isn’t real nice for anyone that gets hooked. Your better than that Ive never been hooked on anything accept skiing and tennis but I could be hooked on anything real easy and I feel sorry for anyone that is hooked on drugs Trust me legal drugs isn’t the romantic world people would like it to be

  10. Marijuana does not fall into the category of “under the expressway” class drugs. Alcohol, on the other hand…

  11. I give up you folks want it legal go for it Rick Steves has been pushing that for a lot of years.

  12. Priya I see were there is a bill in washington dc so the states would have full control if it passes so there is a possibility it could be legal sometime soon, in places

  13. Priya, I’d suggest you quickly trademark The Bard’s Bud to serve in Pot & Pot. If Google is any indication, nobody else has snagged it.

    Hm… I wonder if it’s just coincidence that the Shakespeare capital of the Northwest is Ashland.

    I better quit now before I lose whatever shreds of credibility I still have around here .

  14. Just talking to a friend about my MJ shop. We’ve decided to serve hot wings spike with weed. We’ll be calling it Weed and Wings. I will also TM that!

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