Law enforcement resources should be used to go after individuals who are harming others- not for policing arbitrary pre-crime scenarios.

Prediction- state and federal governments will work together to keep the black market up & running.

The Washington State situation-

January, 2013-

Federal government explains role in Washington’s new marijuana law

“If you have a for profit business that operates selling drugs, the Feds will step in.”

Strict pot controls needed, state says

“Garza said it’s important for officials to properly project consumption rates so the state is growing the right amount of product for in-state users and not having any extra supply that could spill into other states that haven’t legalized marijuana.”

Still wondering how high tax penalties will end the black market:

Study: Nearly 40 percent of cigs in Washington are contraband

Tax benefit expected from marijuana sales:

“The Office of Financial Management has concluded that taxes will raise $1.9 billion (that’s no typo, not “million” but “billion”) within five years.”

BREAKING: In Fight Over Marijuana’s Scheduling, Appeals Court Rules in Favor of DEA and Schedule I

A powerful central government knows what’s best for each one of us.

How about legal anti-depression meds that may bring on thoughts of suicide (0:34)

“Hurst said the initiative also doesn’t set strict enough rules for businesses linked to DUIs or other crimes their patrons might commit in surrounding areas. Under the initiative as it stands, there’s no set number of nearby crimes that would automatically trigger a sanction. Instead, the law gives the liquor control board discretion to decide when a business is associated with too much wrongdoing.”

Instant, non-experimental jobs program/revenue generator requiring zero tax dollars-

Allow U.S. farmers to answer the global demand for Industrial Hemp.

In California, it looks like the local government was trying to do the right thing-

Mendocino County spars with feds over conflicting marijuana laws

You are free to do as we tell you.

Bill Hicks

Related-

Freedom Fetish

Washington state-licensed marijuana outlets?

The Drug War places us all at risk

Photo- Port Hadlock Transit Center

Inslee vows to press Obama administration to support legalization of marijuana in Washington

Cities and counties here are not waiting on federal Drug Czar approval.

They are not waiting for the state to use up the next 12 months deciding on rules, authorizations and permissions for licenses & retail outlets.

They are not enforcing federal law.

They are throwing out marijuana cases involving untaxed product that were pending prior to election day.

What incentive do people have to wait a year for the first state authorized retail outlet to open?

Photo- Point Hudson scene

Bremerton- an old military town & home of the nation’s largest and longest-running Armed Forces Day parade- throws out marijuana cases involving untaxed product that were pending prior to election day:

Bremerton city attorney drops pot cases

Bremerton, located in Kitsap County, follows the County Prosecutor in saying no to federal policy:

County drops 60 pot cases

Kitsap County is home to the largest naval organization in Navy Region Northwest.

Port Townsend remains silent?

Related:

In Washington State- Mixed Messages on Marijuana

Photo-

Early winter morning at Point No Point, Kitsap County, WA

City of Port Angeles-

“All Port Angeles Police officers have taken an oath to uphold not only state law, but federal law as well.”

City of Seattle-

The Seattle Police Department told its 1300+ officers via email Wednesday that “Until further notice, officers shall not take any enforcement action—other than to issue a verbal warning—for a violation of I-502.”

Some counties are going their own way:

County drops 60 pot cases

A couple of areas where state and federal enforcement are different here-

Medical Marijuana & suspicionless checkpoints away from border crossings and ports of entry:

Sobriety Checkpoint Laws

The US Border Patrol on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula turned small-time enforcement of marijuana over to state and local authorities years ago- see video here:

Federal Policy No Longer Enforced at the Local Level?

Related:

Hey Mr. Drug Czar-

Marijuana & the relevance of state, federal & UN authorities

Washington state-licensed marijuana outlets?

Marijuana is new? Washington State DUI testing plans-

Possibly of interest:

Suspicionless ID checks away from border crossings & ports of entry-

State and local law enforcement agencies do not conduct suspicionless checkpoints in Washington State.

Border Patrol checkpoints came to Jefferson County, WA in 2008.

We are told the #1 US Border Patrol objective is to stop terrorists.

The US Border Patrol explains this objective at a local public forum- this YouTube video covers Border Patrol objectives at 3:50

At that same forum a lady asked:

“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”

US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.

Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.

Question about providing ID is at 0:35

Checkpoints ended here in 2008- possibly due to well informed citizens and local protests. Looks like they weren’t vital to national security after all.

War on Terror- credibility squandered.

Photo- Foggy morning at Port Townsend