By snoadmin
For all counterculture veterans — or wanna-be-veterans, all Slightly Stoopid fans and all NASA employees, today is sacred, national holiday. It’s April 20, better known as 4/20. Today, marijuana smokers nationwide will be indulging themselves in a pastime that is largely — and for senseless reasons — frowned upon, especially by the federal government.
Last November, California voted on a bill to legalize marijuana, which failed to pass with 46.5 percent voting “yes” to legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana, and 53.5 percent voting “no.” Gov. Jerry Brown also made sure California knew that even if Prop. 19 passed, he would veto the bill in light of the drug being illegal under federal law.
Today, Washington is facing a similar case. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire’s intention was to assure the federal government of her unyielding loyalty when she asked if it was OK to sign a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in Washington. According to the Seattle Times, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s response went along the lines of: “Federal agents have the power to arrest growers and dispensaries, and even public employees who treat them as legitimate businesses would not be immune from liability.”
Gregoire is now hesitant toward signing the bill in fear of federal funding cuts, primarily to Washington universities. In a Seattle Times editorial, Gregoire is urged to ignore any federal government threats.
“‘JUST sign it,’ is our advice to Gov. Chris Gregoire regarding the medical-marijuana bill, when the bill lands on her desk,” the article reads. “The people of Washington will back her up. They voted for medical cannabis in 1998, and polls show they would vote yes again by an even greater margin today.”
Similarly — yet more understandably — in Montana, Republican lawmakers are attempting to push an overhaul measure to advocate further regulation over the state’s booming medical marijuana industry. Ever since the Obama administration announced in 2009 that the federal government would refrain from prosecuting marijuana users abiding by state law, Montana’s medical marijuana industry grew without hesitation.
According to the latest count by California Department of Public Health and Human Services, medical marijuana card holders grew 7,807 in the 2010-11 fiscal year alone, landing the total at 51, 840.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer vetoed Republican lawmakers’ first overhaul measure — House Bill 161. Now, lawmakers from each chamber will meet this week to reach an alternate and final overhaul measure dubbed Senate Bill 423. Schweitzer has provided the public with no specific information on how he feels the state’s medical marijuana industry should be regulated.
The Seattle Times editorial has the right idea. The fuss and fury over medical marijuana and marijuana alone is absurd. First, marijuana is said to help patients suffering from more severe illnesses such as cancer to less severe ones such as insomnia, anxiety and eating disorders. And these are only a few of the impediments affecting peoples’ lives that are diminished or eliminated with the use of marijuana.
Moreover, not only will legalizing and taxing marijuana bring in more money, but it may also help to reduce crime rates in the United States. How will we ever know if the legalization of marijuana will help prevent gang-related violence regarding the drug? If a substance were outlawed, yet in high demand by the country, wouldn’t that just create problems? Take Prohibition in the 1920s for example. This only coined the term “bootlegging” or “bootleggers,” who would illegally transport alcoholic beverages.
When it boils down to it, the federal government should do a little more research on the drug. Lighten up, or light one up.
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