King, Pierce Counties dismissing pot cases after legalization
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SEATTLE - Prosecutors in two of Washington state's most heavily populated counties say they will be dismissing all of their misdemeanor marijuana possession cases as a result of the passage of Initiative 502 legalizing marijuana possession of one ounce or less in the state.
In King County, the decision will impact 175 cases involving individuals age 21 and older accused of possessing one ounce or less of marijuana, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the Prosecutor's Office.
With the passage of I-502, marijuana possession of one ounce or less by individuals age 21 and older will become legal in the state on Dec. 6.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg said that dismissing these cases is the right thing to do in light of Tuesday’s vote.
“Although the effective date of I-502 is not until Dec. 6, there is no point in continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal next month,” Satterberg said.
Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist told the Associated Press his office will also be dismissing misdemeanor pot cases involving adults age 21 and over. He didn't have the number of cases affected available.
The prosecutors' decisions are the latest signal that law enforcement authorities already are taking a very different approach to marijuana cases in response to the legalization initiative.
Cosmopolis Police Chief Casey Stratton says his department has suspended its work on an investigation that would have been considered a large marijuana bust, prior to the passage of Initiative 502.
Stratton said he's asking the Grays Harbor County prosecutor for guidance and waiting for more federal response to the law decriminalizing the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana.
In addition, Seattle police said Friday they will no longer assist federal authorities in investigations of marijuana users or marijuana-related businesses that are legal, at the state level, under I-502.
In King County, the decision will impact 175 cases involving individuals age 21 and older accused of possessing one ounce or less of marijuana, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the Prosecutor's Office.
With the passage of I-502, marijuana possession of one ounce or less by individuals age 21 and older will become legal in the state on Dec. 6.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg said that dismissing these cases is the right thing to do in light of Tuesday’s vote.
“Although the effective date of I-502 is not until Dec. 6, there is no point in continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal next month,” Satterberg said.
Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist told the Associated Press his office will also be dismissing misdemeanor pot cases involving adults age 21 and over. He didn't have the number of cases affected available.
The prosecutors' decisions are the latest signal that law enforcement authorities already are taking a very different approach to marijuana cases in response to the legalization initiative.
Cosmopolis Police Chief Casey Stratton says his department has suspended its work on an investigation that would have been considered a large marijuana bust, prior to the passage of Initiative 502.
Stratton said he's asking the Grays Harbor County prosecutor for guidance and waiting for more federal response to the law decriminalizing the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana.
In addition, Seattle police said Friday they will no longer assist federal authorities in investigations of marijuana users or marijuana-related businesses that are legal, at the state level, under I-502.
First they made money by imposing fines, now they'll make more money by taxing it. Kona Gold has been very good for the government coffers.
Puff puff, forgive.
I want to try smoking pot when it becomes legal. I haven't smoked it since I was a teen but I remember it helped me sleep well and I do suffer from insomnia. I can't tolerate the over the counter sleeping pills they make me feel like a zombie the next day.
 @alildifferent Try vaporizing it instead. It works just the same, leaves no lingering odor (your anti-cannabis neighbors will certainly appreciate it), and eliminates all risk of the negative (but mild in cannabis) effects of inhaling smoke. Â
 @alildifferent I have heard that they now have varietals that can produce different effects. Some dont even get you high.... I'm sure at the new stores you will  be able to find one specifically to aid in sleep, I currently use melatonin to help me........I hate the pills too.
@Susabelle Wiling to try, it's been awful the last six months got a bad case of fight club.
 @alildifferent  @Susabelle Try starting with 5mg of melatonin, you can even get it at Wal-Mart......I actually use 10 and I sleep through the night without feeling drugged the next day. My sister also uses it successfully.Â
If someone is pulled over for erratic driving, the police can always cite negligent driving and no test is required for that. No need to go the DUI route. As for myself, I'd just like a place where I can go and have a smoke. Society has no problem with people getting bombed at a bar and driving away, so I don't see why pot should be any different in that respect.
@johnbe The difference is the DUI limit for THC is set rather low so regular users need to be careful driving. The current limit is a plasma (blood) level of 5 ng/mL. In occasional users this level can be found up to three hours after smoking (or inhaling as is the case with vaporizers) the equivilent of a small joint. Regular users maintain a very small concentration in their blood and can test at the 5 ng/mL concentration as long as 12 hours after "smoking"  If it's ingested in food the levels take longer to reach peak and to diminish. So if you want to enjoy and experience the different types of HIGHs from marijuana, PLEASE do it at home and don't drive. We don't need the naysayers to have ammunition due to an increase in DUI convictions.  Enjoy the freedom that I thought I'd never see in my lifetime, but BE RESPONSIBLE and BE SAFE.Â
Your advice is good, but something tells me either you're not a consumer or you think people will change their ways. People don't and won't stay home. They never have, and never goes back a long way. Seems like it is more realistic to know and expect that people will drive high. Why would they stop doing what they've always done? As for me, I don't drink and drive, neither will I consume and drive. But that's just me. I made that decision years ago when I broke away from the crowd.
Everyone who was set to be prosecuted but now isn't should celebrate with a big fat bowl!
And the rest of you, as you were!
I quit smoking pot 17 years ago. People don't believe me when I say I did so because it was illegal. It will become legal to possess on Dec 6th but it still won't be legal to buy unless you have a medical marijuana card, which I don't. So I will have to wait the year or so it will take before I can legally buy, possess and consume it. I will wait patiently and when the day comes that I can walk to the corner market and buy a pack of doobs, I will. I'll go home, light up and tell anyone who didn't believe me, "Told ya so, dude."
The courts don't want to prosecute these small marijuana cases. You can't blame the courts for not seeing the whole picture. They spend all their time in buildings the same as the politicians. They don't see the world at the street level. They may read about it in case files, but don't really understand how the criminal element thinks. The thing they don't realize though, it will bring in a whole new batch of criminals, VIOLANT criminals. Criminals from all over the country and world will be moving to our state to prey on the pot stores and smokers; more robberies, home invasions, and murders. Every pot smoker in the country will be here draining our resources. One example: One makes a purchase at a 'legal marijuana store' heads home; is followed by a group of gangbangers, that will never pay for the stuff, then they force their way into their home. Once inside hopefully the bangers are happy with just jacking the pot; probably not, they are opportunists. The bangers will take everything they can gets their dirty littles hands on. Hopefully they will spare a few lives along the way.
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The drug cartels moving into our neigborhoods, because depite the 'legal sales'Â there will still be the illegal sales.
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This is my prediction. I have been in law enforcement for over twenty five years and in those years have investigated everything from marijuana cases to violent homicides.
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Oh yeah, we think we have a lot of youngsters smoking pot right now, wait, what we will now see is our children, those that can wait until they turn eighteen, become full time stoners, most will be under-achievers. Â
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 @truthbetold That seems to be an awful lot of work for under an ounce of MJ, to cross state lines to set up to hit some users? Certainly they already know the users in their own areas that they can rob if they so choose......... Why didnt they do the same thing with medical MJ? I mean, obviously they could, right? Did this happen?
Hello Susabelle, I am onle saying anything can happen and it has. People are being robbed and some murdered for a simple thing like a cell phone. I have investigated violent crimes involving a lot less. It's not just the forty ounces. it's much more than that; criminals don't think like you. As I said they are opportunists, they will find a way to benefit from this. I am only trying to warn the hard working recreational MJ user.
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Another concern I have is the message we are sending our children. If this was first legal at a federal level, then it would not be such a big deal. But we are telling our kids to disregard our federal laws. This may send a message to them that mom and dad rules can be broken...Don't know, hope not!Â
@truthbetold You are so right on so many levels. As one who has also worked with the masses as a high school teacher, I can affirm that the pot smoking, stoner teenagers are underachievers. Even if they aren't so stoned as to be unable to remain upright in a chair, as is frequently the case, their I.Q. level is reduced by about 30 points after smoking one joint. Since the active ingredients in pot are stored in the fat cells, it's likely that the influence on body systems remains long after the high has faded. As pot use proliferates with this new law, pot will be more available to kids. They certainly don't have any problem with getting the legal drug called alcohol.  Â
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 I also agree with your concern about the message being sent to kids by passage of a law which contradicts federal law.  Obedience to all laws could be undermined as kids get the message that federal law is unimportant. This denigration of the importance of law along with the effects of increased pot usage by students will probably reduce to the level of futility current efforts to improve American education, which is already sadly lacking in quality. My feelings about legalization of pot are the antithesis to those of Michelle Obama when she said that she was "proud of my country" for the first time when her husband was elected president. I must say that I am NOT proud of my country for the first time since the urge toward instant gratification and escape has triumphed over sanity and common sense.Â
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 @truthbetold I do appreciate the warning and the thoughts. I do not personally think that this will become any more of problem in responsible homes. The irresponsible ones already have the problem. I think our children will get it, if we continue to engage them. I do know many households that use recreational MJ, their children (adults now) seem fine, are productive law abiding citizens and continue to be so. I did not raise kids to abuse alcohol, I can hope that my contemporaries will not raise their children to abuse MJ.
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You are right, I dont think like a criminal......did work for DOC for awhile in my youth though and saw a lot of it. I can hope that by removing the illegal element will be a positive step. I guess only time will tell and I can be hopeful that your concerns do not come to pass.
Good, now those weed lovers can start paying there fair share like us booze drinkers.Â
The fact that there were even any misdemeanor pot cases pending proves why this Initiative was necessary.
I gotta say, it's awesome that you're going to dismiss the cases and not continue to arrest people. You're right, it doesn't make any sense and weed is so harmless anyway.. looks like everyone is finally seeing that!!
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YES. I feel so happy because, finally, finally, finally, it's not perceived (in Washington anyway) as all that bad, now it's legal.. it continually decreases the stereotype that "people that smoke are all losers and it drags you down." However, it doesn't! I'm a successful executive a large firm here in Seattle, make over $140,000/year and have been a daily smoker for the last 7 years!! HA.
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Also, it generates money for the city/our state economy and frees up Police to spend time pursuing REAL criminals (Rapist, murderers, bank robbers, kidnapping, etc.)... not some punk kid or normal adult smoking some pot and minding their own business- HUGE waste of time trying to bust them, we don't ever hurt or bother anybody anyway. Stoners are about the more peaceful people out there!
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Anyway, nice job guys. FINALLY you accept us. KUDOS and keep the good laws/karma coming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1kTZRcKZ6Y
Sorry, HAD to do it!
So Washington State is no longer bound by federal law? Pot is still illegal on the national level. Isn't that more than just a minor technicality?Â
 @Mary States are not bound by any federal laws and don't have federal jurisdiction. Pot may still be illegal under federal law but this signals the end of prosecution at the city, county, or state level and sends a clear message to the federal government that if they want to enforce their own law they will have to do it alone. Which of course they don't have the resources to pursue minor offenses for possession. The feds would only be interested in large haul busts.Time for the courts and prison system to release anyone who is currently serving time for minor possession offenses. Lets put that tax money to better use.
 @Mary Yes, I am sure someone will find this out when their home is raided run by the DEA and FBI...
 @John Gault  @Mary You mean 'invaded', not raided.  Do the feds have that much time to go after someone who has a tiny amount of this plant?  "Raids", which are home invasions, would be for large quantities and will probably continue as they always have - interfering in the private affairs of people (which is unlawful, as it is violent, as it turns out).
@Mary States can't prosecute federal crimes.
 @Mary Have you ever heard of the doctrine of Nullification?  It's actually more then just a minor technicality, it's a major constitutional issue regarding a check on the federal government that states theoretically have.
It's the right thing to do. Actually a little proud of our state government right now.Â
 @Komo Dragon It's a good start...but not ready to speak those words yet...long way still to go on way to many issues.
I am waiting for Costco to establish the operations of selling it, just like they did recently for moving alcohol sales from the state to the private businesses.
I know it will be effecient, and they will have the most competitive prices.
 @Mista T ...if we could get around the 1 oz. rule...might be an idea...like one lb. sold in 1 oz. vacuum sealed packs.
JUst be happy that it passed.that is all that i can say..and it is a start,Hell we all will need something to deal with for more years..lol
@Sydthepiper @Mista T Can you imagine the hold ups? "Dude, give me all your... hey,,, whaz up?"Â
 @makeadifference  @Sydthepiper  @Mista Personally, I have to get ripped before entering a Costco as it stands. It makes me a bit more patient with the hordes of shoppers.
 @Mista T not going to happen, it cannot be sold with any other product except that which to smoke it with.........
So our liquor stores will soon be repurposed?
 @makeadifference looks like it..........anyone who bought one would be more than happy to get out from under now anyway.......LOL
Bravo, the people have spoken. Now let\s go focus on real crime.
I was under the impression that the King county prosecutor wasn't proceeding with simple possession charges as a matter of policy anyway. It was once so, did that change in the past few years?
@Root Please That's what I was wondering. Why were there any misdemeanor possession cases pending anyway?
 @Superman_1967  @Root They were . . . placed lowest on the docket, so to speak.  There's always actual crime that overtook them, so these pending cases were only very slowly able to be managed.
I don't quite understand the reasoning behind the dismissal because it was illegal when the crimes were committed. It still is and will be for awhile, but is that reason enough to give people a free pass who commited a crime?
 @Bex Yes.  Understand the difference between lawful and legal and their counters.  It is always lawful to go about your private affairs so long as you aren't interfering with others in theirs (Article 7 of the WA State Constitution).  That is why murder is called unlawful murder.  Two or more people can create additional restrictions upon themselves and those who consent, which then becomes a 'legal' action.  Just as a person can't be prosecuted for doing something that was once not legally criminal, but now is, so it is that people being prosecuted for a legal 'crime' for what won't be very shortly is proper, lawful action.
 @Bex Enjoy the savings of your tax dollars not being spent on prosecuting. And no, there is absolutely no reason to prosecute people over weed possession even if they were arrested before the law passed and before it starts on 12/6. It would in fact be petty.
@Bex It seems that what is legal and constitutional is becoming less significant in this increasingly lawless state which is apparently seceding from the Union. Pot is still illegal on the national level.
 @Mary  @Bex A bloobity bloobity boo, Mary. Methinks your dire concern over law and order and doing things by the book is a smokescreen for your desire to see those nasty lowlife dope-smoking criminals get their comeuppins while there's still time.
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The prosecutor is exercising his legal discretion to make an ethical judgement and avoid wasting court time and resources. You may disagree with him, and the voters of Washington state, but the idea that this is the harbinger of our descent into Somalian-style anarchy is laughable and a transparent conceit.
 @C. David  @Mary  @Bex C. David, I like your reply so much I wish I could "like" it a second time. Thanks for the smile.
 @Bex So all the defendants would have to do is request a postponement. If they weren't granted a single postponement and/or were deliberately denied one to sneak the prosecution in ahead of the law, they would have grounds to appeal later. 30 days later it is no longer a crime and they cannot be found guilty of it when they come to trial. Why even bother wasting the time up front?Â
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You seem to think that because something is illegal, the prosecutor is bound by law to press charges. It's actually a totally subjective decision on the prosecutors part to do so.Â
 @Root Please But the legal "clock" starts from when an offense is committed, no? Not necessarily what happens through the course of the criminal case? Anyways, it was just a thought I had posted because the articles I've read didn't really answer the question. As I said above, I voted in favor of the initiative.
 @Root Please  @Bex I am imaging that Bex has spent a lot of his/her life hollering "That's not fair" over the smallest tings.
 @two loons Stick poker and drama mamma!
 @Bex Really, you don't understand?  *shakes head*
 @Bex Do you really believe they should follow through with the prosecution? What a waste of time and money for a technicality...... It sounds to me that our law enforcement is moving right in to ensure that they dont waste any more time on something that was certainly a waste of time before. There certainly are an awful lot of police officers that felt it should be legalized, and if anyone saw a potential bad outcome, it would have been them I suppose.
 @Susabelle There's no technicality - it was on the books as a crime (and still is). Waste of time or not, it is still a crime.Â
 @Bex  @Susabelle There's still a few states where gay sex is still technically illegal.  Should prosecutors in those states be spending tax payer dollars prosecuting those cases as well?
 @Shelly Good one Shelly. FYI, I voted in favor of the initiative and you and I probably voted similarly along everything else on our ballot.
 @two loons Some busy bodies take delight in others suffering or misfortune. The world is full of her kind sadly. :(
 @Bex  @Susabelle Wow, Bex. That is ridiculous. Waste of time, money and resources -yet you think it should be prosecuted up until midnight 12/6 and that the guy convicted on 12/5 should go to jail for weed, instead of keep working to support his family. Harsh, punitive and petty.
 @komoispropaganda Sorry about that.........LOL, there isnt a way to edit after you hit that pesky post comment button.......
 @Susabelle "it is irresponsible to through good money after bad"
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That sentence 'threw' me a curve.
@Bex: You are also missing the point that by the time all these cases come to court they pot will be legal. December 6th is not that far away. Only 27 days as of today.
 @Bex  @Susabelle It's thinking like that Bex, that put our country into a recession.Â
 @Bex You are absolutely right, it was on the books, so tell me. When you send your kids back to school and there is a list of supplies you need purchase, you have been given that list......now you have been told that list is going to change, you'll get the new list soon......are you still going to buy the supplies, or wait for your new list.  yeah, yeah, I know it is a totally different subject matter, but fiscally, it is irresponsible to through good money after bad.......seriously I'm beginning to see how this country got so far into debt......too little common sense.