Friday, August 28, 2009

Colorado's Explosion

Colorado introduced it's medical marijuana program in 2001, conflicting laws with our federal government kept the size relatively small. During President Obama's campaign he pledged to end DEA medical marijuana raids. Attorney General Eric Holder reaffirmed this new US policy during a press conference. Only people violating both state and federal law would be prosecuted.

Christina Davidson, a writer for the Atlantic, is road tripping across the country. A cannabis dispensary caught her attention at a recent stop in Nederland, CO. It didn't take her long to conclude that the medical marijuana industry was keeping the local economy afloat. Business has been booming since the fears of federal raids has dwindled.

At the beginning of this year, only 2000 people had applied for Colorado's Medical Marijuana Registry since the system was established on 2001. In the past six months, the registry has grown to nearly 10,000. The registry card is actually optional under Colorado law--a doctor's note is sufficient--so it's difficult to determine the precise number of medicinal users. About thirty dispensaries currently operate to provide verified patients with locally-grown kind bud, up from just a handful in previous years. And the number of dispensaries is expected to double to 60 by the end of 2009.


Davidson's next stop in Colorado was to "Meet the Marijuana Snack Kings of the Future", a new startup named Ganja Goods.
Shaz Swartz, a 43 year old ex marine, and his partner Garrett Miller hope to perfect the science of cooking with cannabis. Aspiring to standardize dosages in edibles, ensuring the customer knows exactly what to expect before eating their baked goods.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Washington Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana

Senator Jeanne Kohl-Wells, D-Seattle contributed an article to The Seattle Times pledging her support to bill 5615. Her hope in passing the bill is to decriminalize marijuana in Washington state, making it only a civil offense for possession. Drawing inspiration from large crowds at Seattle's Hempfest, the Senator wants to remind people about the Schafer report that came out in 1972 and the fallout that occurred.

Twelve states took action and decriminalized marijuana in the 1970s. Nevada decriminalized in 2001, and Massachusetts did so in 2008. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, states where marijuana possession is decriminalized represent more than 35 percent of our nation's population.

These states have not seen a corresponding increase in use. Nor have the 14 states that have adopted legal protections for patients whose doctors recommend the medical use of marijuana.


The article also points out the failures of prohibition and our inability to enforce current laws. It is time for our country to realize that throwing money at this problem isn't going to solve anything. Billions have been wasted, and I don't understand how some people still can't admit that marijuana prohibition has been a failure.

We now have decades of proof that treating marijuana use as a crime is a failed strategy. It continues to damage the credibility of our public health officials and compromise our public safety. At a fundamental level, it has eroded our respect for the law and what it means to be charged with a criminal offense: 40 percent of Americans have tried marijuana at some point in their lives. It cannot be that 40 percent of Americans truly are criminals.