Newly elected city attorney Peter Holmes will no longer prosecute minor marijuana possession offenses, according to a report published in The Seattle Times.
“[The city of Seattle] is no longer going to prosecute marijuana possession cases anymore,” said Holmes. The Times reports that Holmes has already begun dismissing cases that were filed by the previous city attorney, Tom Carr.
Holmes defeated Carr in the November 2009 election.
In 2003, Seattle voters approved Initiative 75, which requires that “the Seattle Police Department and City Attorney’s Office shall make the investigation, arrest and prosecution of marijuana offenses, when the marijuana was intended for adult personal use, the city’s lowest law enforcement priority.”
A 2008 citywide review of the ordinance reported “no evidence of any adverse effects of the implementation of I-75, including specifically: 1. No evident increase in marijuana use among youth and young adults; 2. No evident increase in crime; and 3. No adverse impact on public health.”
Tomorrow, Washington state lawmakers on the House Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness will vote on two pending marijuana law reform proposals, House Bill 1177 and House Bill 2401. House Bill 1177 seeks to reclassify the possession of forty grams or less of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor to a class 2 civil infraction punishable by a $100 fine. House Bill 2401 seeks to “remove all existing civil and criminal penalties for adults 21 years of age or older who cultivate, possess, transport, sell, or use marijuana.”
The Committee is scheduled to vote at 1:30pm pst. You can watch this vote live here.
[UPDATE!!! If you live in Washington and have not yet contacted the Committee, you may wish to do so now, while you still can.
House panel to snuff out marijuana bills
via The Herald
[Excerpt]
Rep. Chris Hurst, chairman of the public safety panel, told me there are not enough votes to move either bill out of committee.
There are five Democrats and three Republicans on the committee. The Republicans will unite against the bills. Hurst and Rep. Al O’Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace, both former cops, each said they will oppose the bills.]
The real patriots salute you, Seattle.
*fingers crossed* on House Bill 2401
Leave it up to the Republicans as usual to prevent our nation from moving forward instead of backward and into the dark ages.
Such is the way of our nation, the world’s greatest police state.
Legalize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’d like to personally thank those voting against it for helping me stay in pain, and others stay in pain for that much longer….we appreciate your assistance in keeping us on Oxycontin and medications that will kill us by 30…thanks! Hey, at least I can drink right? oh I can’t…hmm..I hate that there are people who care enough to say I am against this…its just silly, you really want to vote against pain relief? They should be ashamed of themselves. When the day comes that a family member has cancer, or a major neuro disorder and they use marijuana to relieve many many symptoms, they will feel like fools.
If they do not want to do it the easy way, Where they can maintain a higher level of control of Cannabis,Just take it to the Voters and show them how Stupid they are, Replace them also!!!
This is great news. So far this year it seems like every week or so there’s more great marijuana news.
The dominoes are beginning to fall, and I for one am ecstatic.
That’s okay. With Seattle throwing out possesion cases before they pass this guy’s desk – yeah. I guess you could say this city is the latest domino. Everyoine talks about when the dominos begin to fall – well, I always looked at the Netherlands as the first domino. Then, California legalized medical use – that was the next. Now, we have 14 states with medical laws, and 15, I think, who have went ahead and decrimmed down to fines. And now we have cities and counties making possesion their lowest priority, which means the 12 year old stealing a candy bar at 7-11 is supposed to be more a crime than owning cannabis. And Seattle? Everyone here keeps saying when the dominos start falling – I say they have been for a while – albeit verrrrry sllllllllllowly. These updates we see here and on other sites, I see them as dominos falling, rather than a little more weight being placed on the first. We shouldn’t get aggrivated over how slow it’s moving – that was something for the 80s and 90s, when all this started happening on a managable scale. Progress for this is not really happening slow – it has actually picked up lots and lots of speed, so much so that it is moving along at a steady rate. I predict within 3 years, it will go from steady to fast. Then, in another 1 or 2 years, it will be moving along so fast, these German throw-backs from 1942 will feel the wind and eat our dust.
It sounds like Denver, Seattle and Breckenridge may be the best places to live in America!
[Editor’s note: Indeed, these are blessed places to reside. Also, the state of Alaska has zero penalty for possession of one ounce or below of cannabis.]
Almost brought me to tears of joy!!!! Victory and Justice is near, freedom in the land of the free will once again be a reality!!
Think of all the Money that the Tax Payers of Seattle Washington are going to save….Millions
This is HUGE!!!!
(Right? First step kinda thing?)
Why is it the Republicans always vote against? It just always seems to work out that way.
(added by Mobile using Mippin)
Paul, your article is a little misleading in that the impression that you give is that HB2401 as you wrote it
will “remove all existing civil and criminal penalties for adults 21 years of age or older who cultivate, possess, transport, sell, or use marijuana.” the fact is that to legally cultivate you will need to get a state license ,AND you can only sell to the state liquor stores. In fact HB2401 REMOVES the legal protections for MedMar people to grow their own.
How do the cops uniting against the bill not see that they are being the bad guy? They aren’t doctors or scientists whom truely should know the facts. They are just being villians plain and simple.
Norml , YOUR THE GREATEST & YOUR THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN SINCE THE INVENTION OF THE WHEEL but this time i beat you to
it . I said this in a post several posts ago .
.
I can not in good trust approve of HB 1177. Section 3 makes it clear that you may posess the marijuana but no instrument that may facilitate the consumption of it. Maybe thisis the way the state wishes to run, similar to Amsterdam in which the weed is basic legal but the sale and transfer of it is not, so the black market continues to thrive, while the law enforcement community tend to turn a blind eye. What is the point? I can however vote yes for HB 2401.
if we cannot get marijuana legalized with over 50% wanting to legalize it? and im way more than sure that there are people, groups, societys that want it legal in Washington but don’t know or DO KNOW but do NOTHING for it. Sadly there are more than 1 person that does nothing for what they beleive in. If I could push there weight along with mine I would.
Great stuff. Knowing this, you’d have to be a real asshole of a cop to actually arrest someone for possession.
We have to get these cops who are afraid of losing there jobs to realize they work for us ! the will of the people must prevail!
Man made booze,
God made marijuana.
Need I say more???????
Way to go Seattle! I can only hope that other cities and states follow your lead. In pot we trust!
“Why is it the Republicans always vote against? It just always seems to work out that way.”
I can help answer this: Currently, they are trying to only appease the core of their base.
Remember these names, for they are the dark soul of the Republican Party:
Richard Nixon
Irving Kristol
Dick Cheney
And insert puppet here: (Reagan, Bush, Palin, whatever)
“Keep polishing that turd” should be their motto. They are convinced that they can recruit young republicans by being hip on the internetz.
They have united against a lot of medical marijuana reform bills recently, so it’s no surprise they’ll want to keep Washington State’s utterly ridiculous law…
The base of the Republican party loves prisons and the drug war, and hates anything they deem “counterculture”. To them the Drug War embodies capitalism. Sadly, this unjust War “capitalizes” on our nation’s greatest resource; our own people. In the face of a compassionate majority, they demonize medical users like me. Some compare us to sex offenders. They blackball those who speak for sensible drug laws. They still can’t get over their hatred for hippies from 40 years ago.
The Dems are simply “the lesser of two evils”, ’cause they suck almost as bad.
Sincerely yours,
A registered Republican / legal smoker
Off subject,but important!!!!!!
The DEA is bringing all personnel around the world home.
The international war on drugs is over.
http://www.therealitycheck.org/?p=10527
What’s wrong with Republicans?
We’re doing really well guys.
The Stilleto Stoners are doing what their job should be: taking away the “what about the children” argument.
LEAP is doing what they should be doing and taking away the Law Enforcement lie about how legalizing weed will lead to cats and dogs living together/mass hysteria…
Norml is doing their part showing the world we can be responsible law abiding citizens going about getting it legalized the right way.
Now we need to get the Republicans ON BOARD with the cause. The problem is that they preach about “family values” as though Leave it to Beaver is what our founding fathers had in mind when they founded this country (or by trying to insinuate there is any real religious objection to marijuana).
took the devastation of the economy to wake people up.
legalize yesterday!
In #13, ol tex raises the question why Republicans vote against. Since the 60’s when Nixon recruited Jesse Helms, Sinatra, Reagan et al. into the Republican Party, that has been the party of Big 2Wackgo which opposes cannabis because (1) it can help some $igarette addicts quit the slaveweed, and (2) modern skunkweed having taught smart cannabis users to avoid hot-burning overdose and switch to vaporizer, long-stemmed one-hitter (screened single toke utensil)etc., this Downdosage Revolution is set to flood over onto the nicotine addict population, DOOMING the cash cow hot burning overdose $igarette industry (6 trillion 700-mg. units sold per year, 6-million-deaths genocide-for-profit).
Accordingly, in #18, Chris Robinson mentions the failure in current bills to legalize an instrument to facilitate consumption thereof. Exactly! They (Big 2WackGo and their running dogs the Repubs) want there to be no popular legal alternative to hot burning overdose.
Anyone with competent working hands is urged to look up wikiHow.com:
“How to Make Smoke Pipes out of Everyday Objects”,
“How to Sift Herbs for Smoking Use”
and related articles (which include the world’s first Typewriter-Compliant Equipment Diagrams, legally available to copy and republish pro bono ad infinitum).
you are all amazing people, let it be known that someday we will all no longer be in “pain” and as long is there are more positive reactions coming off marijuana for pain and stress instead of today’s “wonder drugs”, (oxy’s and xanex, etc.) where people are in a state of mind that they cant control anything or have any clue as to where they are. is there a poll anywhere recently in the last 5 years on how many on the crimes committed in america were on some sort of medication. open your eyes americans, don’t believe everything you hear, read, and especially see on entertainment televison (cnn, msnbc, fox news, etc.) become an individual, stand up for yourself and let your voice be heard!!!!!
Everythings fucked up. Conservatives are supposed to be the ones pushing for less government involvement.. Not turning a blind eye to it because it doesn’t directly effect them.. Apparently Liberals and conservatives dont want it legal because they’re all brainwashed, but in truth it’s a conservative cause..
Vote just failed. You Washingtonians disappoint me.
elected faggots once again not listening to the winds of change but it’s a coming…believe it!!!
I watched the live feed…fail on both.
I’m very impressed with Mrs. Appleton and Mr. Goodman, they are reps you can be proud of.
The others are satisfied with wasting milions and as as Mr. Goodman put it, a vot eno is for prohibition and chaos.
Please write them and thank them for their brave support, and write the others and continue to show that they represent people who want change, and WILL be taking it to a vote, WITHOUT THEM.
They just voted down both bills. I wouldn’t be so disappointed if they had even an ounce of decent logic for doing so. The excuses given could only be interpreted as ‘fear’.
That’s our whacked out system in a nutshell.. 8 uptight bureaucrats who feel comfortable continuing to deny us our rights because “it’s still a schedule 1 substance”, or “The Seattle times had this article…” Are you friggen kidding me?
Today I’m ashamed of Washington State.
[Editor’s note: Indeed, these are blessed places to reside. Also, the state of Alaska has zero penalty for possession of one ounce or below of cannabis.] to #9 Jed The head’s comment.
The husband and I are trying diligently to find employment in Colorado so I can hopefully get medical marijuana for my severe GI disorder.
However, the Health Department does not list my condition as deserving of medical marijuana. If I want it considered I have to include proof of scientific / medical research. They do include the term ‘severe pain’, which I have, but again, without proper documentation … .
Recently a person with Parkinson’s was turned down in Colorado because of insufficient medical evidence. Now this person has to wait a full six months before they can reapply.
Vote these representatives out of office, they refuse to listen to the peoples Wants & Needs. Just get them out, period. We need people in office to represent us, the voters of Washington State! How many more years will they continue to push us around and have our words fall upon deaf ears? GET THEM OUT OF OFFICE!!
Give it time, it will pass. Washington is not all that liberal (really it’s only Seattle) and the bill was put in place to get the conversation started, no one really expected it to pass.
[Paul Armentano responds: True, and this is an abbreviated session. That said, the decrim Senate companion bill did pass out of Committee and awaits action on the floor. There were plenty of us hoping that at least the decrim bill would do likewise in the House.]
re;
“The base of the Republican party loves prisons and the drug war, and hates anything they deem “counterculture”. ”
–and
“They still can’t get over their hatred for hippies from 40 years ago.”
–and
“they demonize medical users like me. Some compare us to sex offenders.”
YES!!
they LOVE to look down their noses at us.
(holier- than- thou bastards)
it allows them to think that they are better than us,
even though they drink like fishes,
smoke tobacco like chimneys,
or gobble prescription drugs like rush limbo
(limbo, limbo, how low can you go? do the limbo !!)
just because “pot is illegal”
for them, legal = “good”, illegal = “bad and immoral”
then there’s the campaign contributions from alcohol, tobacco, and pharm. co’s to republicans.
and every pothead that is arrested can NEVER VOTE again.
(in most states)
makes it MUCH easier to steal elections that way.
I watched yesterday the LIVE vote. It is a crime to have a handful of individuals who have done very little study on the matter vote it out. Of any that voted NO truly experienced any of the benefits that marijuana can do for an illness or even as recreation. The fight to say use of pot leads to harder drugs is just not true, the bad decisions to go that route are more times than often alcohol related decisions. Even a retired Police officer says we are wasting time and money stopping something that is inevitable. Would it not be more beneficial to legalize, tax, and prosper from something that will never go away? Simply compare crime in Holland to crime in the USA for the same amount of people…
what do we call and say to them besides our obvious disappointment in voting No?
seems to me
that the easiest and best way to get legalization is to amend the controlled substances act.
in order to qualify for current most nasty rank, mj must have NO MEDICINAL value.
we all (science too) know that mj has proven med value.
on that basis alone, we can get the necessary changes NOW. – seriously –
good timing, good vibes. we shall git r done.
peace
the government makes us hate ourselves.. hence to put us on prescriptions.. i wonder how much stock they have invested in anti-depressants and everything
I wrote the members of this committe who voted no and demanded their immediate resignation.
Help make representative government mean something.
Or give up on the American experiment completely.
Is this the issue that will show democracy has failed?
Oh yeah, I voted for a Progressive president and got a war president medalling in Compromise.
So maybe this issue will merely be the final proof of failure.
People must realize that Washington is considered a blue state because Seattle is the biggest city… The rest of the state is a lot different
my father is antiweed when i was the one smoking it.but it was ok for his friends.i dont talk to him now.its been 30 years since we talked it was more than weed that broke up the family.he was always mean to my mother and his kids.my mother was killed jan 3 1980 and he paid for it.he is no good
Claygooding, #25.
Man, that guy Kevin really is a pig-headed prohib. Imagine – how rediculous is it to put out an article like that, then back it with tactics from the 30s. You people really should check it out – the article’s name is “Marijuana much more dangerous than alcohol.” This Kevin jerk just doesn’t stop. I have a couple of comments on there, but he just keeps coming back, each time more foolish than the last.
But, I didn’t see anything on there about the DEA bringing their guys home. Where is this?
Why can’t we do this in Tacoma,Pierce County. Why?
I loved this well written article and great website. Very informative. Keep up the good work!
“Why is it the Republicans always vote against? ”
—
Why do I keep seeing this remark in comments when the article clearly states of the 8 members 5 are D’s, and you have two ex-cop Democrats on this committee that also voted against it per the article. Granted generically speaking R party members are less supportive but it’s not universal. The way to change that is not to call them names but win them over with libertarian arguments, that method has actually been working for some time. It may be a slow and long term process but it works.
It’s not what Your Country can do for You!
It’s what You can do for Your Country!!
*VOTE TO LEGALIZE MARAJIUANA*
Thanks for question, KH! It may be Republicans average out at about twice as pro-tobacco ($igarette-corporation-friendly) as Dems, because they average around 2/3 of Industry money most election years(statistics at Tobacco-Free-Kids website). Connection to cannabis issue, individual candidate example: Rudi Giuliani got twice as much tobackgo money as any other pres.candidate 2008, same Giuliani of the notorious “crackdown on pot” enforcement campaigns in NY in the 90’s.
Great post! I think Seattle is the best city in the world and has the best things to offer! I recently stumbled upon this blog that I found pretty funny in its reference to Seattle: http://burisonthecouch.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/theres-no-place-like-home-sort-of/
Thanks for the post! Seattle rocks!
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I believe that you should
publish more about this issue, it might not be a taboo matter but usually people do not discuss such issues.
To the next! Cheers!!
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