Gregoire awaits federal decision on state's new pot laws
SEATTLE (AP) - Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said Tuesday the federal government still hasn't decided whether to take action to block new laws legalizing marijuana in her state and Colorado.
Gregoire met with Deputy Attorney General James Cole in Washington, D.C. She told Cole she would prefer to know "sooner rather than later," because Washington state is in the process of getting ready to decriminalize pot, which is still illegal under federal law.
"I told them, 'Make no mistake, that absent an injunction of some sort, it's our intent to implement decriminalization,'" Gregoire told The Associated Press. "I don't want to spend a lot of money implementing this if you are going to attempt to block it."
Initiative 502 passed last week with 55 percent of the vote in the state. It decriminalizes the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana beginning Dec. 6. The state would license the growing, processing and labeling of marijuana, but state officials have a year to come up with those rules before sales can begin.
Colorado also passed a measure legalizing the drug.
Federal lawyers are reviewing the two new state laws, trying to determine what their response will be, Gregoire said.
"It's not a simple analysis for them," she said. "There's a difference between our two initiatives, and they want to look at that. They clearly want to know how things are going to flow, how regulations develop, how enforcement would be taken, taxes would be gathered."
She said she pressed Cole as to whether the ultimate federal response would treat both Washington and Colorado the same way, and Justice Department officials indicated to her that that was their intent.
In Washington, home-growing marijuana for recreational reasons remains barred, as does the public display or use of pot. The measure also establishes a standard blood test limit for driving under the influence, and Gregoire says the head of the Washington State Patrol has to begin training officers to enforce that portion of the measure.
"He can't wait, he's got to start doing this," Washington's governor said.
Gregoire said she promised to keep the Justice Department fully informed as to the progress the state is making in implementing the new marijuana law.
Colorado's governor and attorney general spoke by phone Friday with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, with no signal whether the U.S. Justice Department would sue to block the marijuana measure.
If Colorado's marijuana ballot measure is not blocked, it would take effect by Jan. 5, the deadline for the governor to add the amendment to the state constitution. The measure allows adults to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, and six marijuana plants, though public use of the drug and driving while intoxicated are prohibited.
Colorado's new law also directs lawmakers to write regulations on how pot can be sold, with commercial sales possible by 2014.
Gregoire met with Deputy Attorney General James Cole in Washington, D.C. She told Cole she would prefer to know "sooner rather than later," because Washington state is in the process of getting ready to decriminalize pot, which is still illegal under federal law.
"I told them, 'Make no mistake, that absent an injunction of some sort, it's our intent to implement decriminalization,'" Gregoire told The Associated Press. "I don't want to spend a lot of money implementing this if you are going to attempt to block it."
Initiative 502 passed last week with 55 percent of the vote in the state. It decriminalizes the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana beginning Dec. 6. The state would license the growing, processing and labeling of marijuana, but state officials have a year to come up with those rules before sales can begin.
Colorado also passed a measure legalizing the drug.
Federal lawyers are reviewing the two new state laws, trying to determine what their response will be, Gregoire said.
"It's not a simple analysis for them," she said. "There's a difference between our two initiatives, and they want to look at that. They clearly want to know how things are going to flow, how regulations develop, how enforcement would be taken, taxes would be gathered."
She said she pressed Cole as to whether the ultimate federal response would treat both Washington and Colorado the same way, and Justice Department officials indicated to her that that was their intent.
In Washington, home-growing marijuana for recreational reasons remains barred, as does the public display or use of pot. The measure also establishes a standard blood test limit for driving under the influence, and Gregoire says the head of the Washington State Patrol has to begin training officers to enforce that portion of the measure.
"He can't wait, he's got to start doing this," Washington's governor said.
Gregoire said she promised to keep the Justice Department fully informed as to the progress the state is making in implementing the new marijuana law.
Colorado's governor and attorney general spoke by phone Friday with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, with no signal whether the U.S. Justice Department would sue to block the marijuana measure.
If Colorado's marijuana ballot measure is not blocked, it would take effect by Jan. 5, the deadline for the governor to add the amendment to the state constitution. The measure allows adults to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, and six marijuana plants, though public use of the drug and driving while intoxicated are prohibited.
Colorado's new law also directs lawmakers to write regulations on how pot can be sold, with commercial sales possible by 2014.
Before you all get angry, you might want to read this, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supremacy_Clause, stop getting in gregoires face. She is trying to protect the citizens of Washington by not spending an outrageous amount of money. She doesnt want to implement creating laws if the federal laws supersede whats in place. I can only imagine that if she started to make laws pertaining the use of medicinal marijuana and then have the federal government step in and prevent it, essentially she would have wasted millions of tax payers money and then you would have been pissed off with her, or maybe pissed off with inslee.
Christine Christ needs to go away. She thinks she is the boss of eveything and everyone.
This is so crazy, why does an enforcement agency have the responsibility to classifying the drugs? Isnt that kind of like the police creating laws for us? This has gone to courts a couple of times and even legally referred to the DEA by their OWN administrative judges recommending to re-class this drug.....answer from DEA, nope sorry, we disagree, we dont care what evidence you have, as a matter of fact, since it's class 1 you cant even study it without our permission......so take that!! Sheesh.
Just keep the freaks off the streets that is all that we can ask for. Nothing bad happens from using pot, BS.
nothing good like killing cancer cells ,controling certain illness ,like dieabites ,high blood presure high cholestol, you people need to do some of your own research, its not about getting high , its about fighting the crap thats in of world trying to kill us , but not before your sick for a while , gotta drain the bank first.you can argue all you want , we have been cancer free five year with no other meds except rs hemp oil, i my self have had so many health benefits ,that all my friends have seen , i have lossed 75lbs and take no perscriptions myself , this is no joke just do some research and dont listen to the masses
@greengrower Great, then you will be excited to know they are working on a strain that does not have THC. That way, you can smoke it PURELY for the medicinal effects without being high. After all, its all about the health benefits only right? Here is a snippet from the article: "This year, the company also developed a marijuana strain used by a quarter of its customers, said to carry all the reported medical benefits of cannabis, but without THC, the psychoactive chemical component that causes a high."
@surebreeze You have your facts so wrong as to be laughable.
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CBD does the "healing" and it can and does cause "buzz".
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Back to your homework little one.
 @bille57182 just like how nothing bad can happen from drinking alcohol amirite?
No matter what the Feds say, the decriminalization on the State level will still go through. Â State's may criminalize or decriminalize a variety of things that the Feds don't get a say in. Â So, you won't be able to buy it legally but you can't be prosecuted for having a tiny amount! Â Ha! Â What a cluster.
Looking for another job?
The Governor to the Fed's Hay guys are you going to make a big stink about this voter approved issue? Answer Probably were not sure yet , we may have to since it's the law ( sorry) Governor Well please let us know soon, so we don't waste any more money trying to set up shop. Answer , if you try to set up shop before we give you answer , you know what will happen you should have your answer eventually , 12-18 months were soo busy right now. Governor Well People I did what ask me now it's up to the feds ( grin ) So let's get this straight they ( the courts ) have been arresting people sizing there homes cars , pot selling there assets ( actions ) and destroying the pot. Now they are telling us we should grow pot (Licensed) and sell it after they have been destroying it by the ton for years . what are they going to do with the tons of pot not need for evidence?? sell it , burn it , give it away to a charitable organization ? This is too weird
 @realdeal Just the nature of unconstitutional laws. Easy to enact, takes decades to get repealed. There should be a process in Congress that all bills have to be vetted for constitutionality by the supreme court before they are allowed to be voted on by congress.
I think it would be a great idea for the state of WA to permit it's universities to oversee, grow and package the pot in our state once it becomes available for consumer use. Hopefully they could mirror the University of Mississippii's program which has already been established, and in operation for over 30 years. It would also allow WA Universities the opportunity to get a little well needed cash in their systems from the control and sales of pot? It will also solve the problem of WHO will be growing the weed.
thats about as dumb as putting gary ridgeway in jail
Probably another reason why we need our state government to start its own militia like some of the other states are starting to do. That way when the feds show up we'll have someone capable of arresting them for violating our civil rights. You couldn't use the NAtional Guard, they won't follow the orders of the governor. But if you have your own militia they'll follow the governors orders.
 @Blindman The State's National Guard wouldn't follow the Governor's orders?  Since when?  They are under the orders of the State, created by the State.
@ETSubmariner Technically I believe while the govenor can order out the National Guard, the over all command of the NG is with the corresponding Military Dept. (Navy for Naval Reserve, Army for NG, Etc etc.)
A tune or two while you wait for the feds to give us permission...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU1Y0BzF_5I&feature=related
Whatever you do, don't smoke pot while watching!
With Colorado growing 6 plants in any house that wants to, there might be the chance that some might get out of the state. It will spread like a virus. Everything will be covered with POT.
December 6, 2012: Angry Washingtonians line up outside Marijuana Dispensaries and chant free the weed..... FREE THE WEED! oh, okay back to reality.
Um... Christine.
Last I heard, we have an Attorney General for this kinda stuff.
And you're NOT it.
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Thanks for more wasted spending.
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And to think that the people voted Inslee in to replace you.
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 @bobalouie What spending was wasted?  She was already in DC for a trip planned months ago that has nothing to do with this issue.  All she did was add a meeting to her schedule.
@CommutingGuy @bobalouie I think what they were saying is, why is she doing the job of the attorney general? She could have focused her energies elsewhere and allow the attorney general to do the job he is getting paid to do.
 @bobalouie Actually Inslee was the better choice... Rob McKenna said he would table the vote pertaining to legalization and kiss the Federal Government's tush! Inslee I don't believe commented on legalization. Does anybody know Inslee's position pertaining to legalization? Is he a man of the people or just another garden variety schmuck?
The Feds don't even have to get an injunction. They don't even have to file court paperwork at all. All the feds have to do is informally warn the state that the Federal highway money will be withheld if the state doesn't comply with Federal drug policy.
That's all it took to get California back into line 20 years ago, after all.
 @svensson California just bypassed the BS and issued MMC's to anyone who wished to have one 18yrs. old and up.
Someone needs to just read the list of federal powers GRANTED by the people. This isn't one of them, but securing our borders is.
Oh good, she can get in some last minute shopping in DC on our dime.
Waiting for the Federal Government decision? It's the voters of Washington State that decided. The trip to Washington D.C. was to most likely inquire on what was already known and a complete waste of time and money. Isn't Gregoire going to Washington D.C. to join the Obama Administration after Inslee takes office? If the Federal Government continues running interference pertaining to Colorado and Washington State's vote what does that imply about the Federal Government?
 @Funky-Munky It implies that on a city, state, or federal level, the peoples vote means NOTHING! We are allowed to cast our vote to make us think that we are making a difference and that we have control. It's kind of like those slot machines that have a "stop" button on them. The casinos put it on there to make people think they can control the slot machine, when we know that it isn't possible, just like our government. The voters voted it in, but what do they know? Which is why the Electoral College came about. Our forefathers it seems didn't think that we the voting public knew what was good for ourselves or the government because we didn't know enough about any issues to be able to decide these things.
If I remember correctly, when Washington voters decided that they were tired of the high excise tax on vehicles it was voted in that the excise tax was to be only $35.00. One of the first things I remember was that the government chimed in saying that voting this bill in was "unconstitutional".  Well of course! The voters had their say and said they were tired of being taxed to death, it was voted in fair and square, and it's unconstitutional!! Is that what voting in legalized pot for recreational use will end up being? You would think the federal government would have better things to do than butt into state regulations on minor pot use. Now that is a waste of tax payers money!
 @Funky-Munky The trip to Washington DC had nothing to do with this issue, she just added the meeting to her schedule for while she was there.
"I told them, 'Make no mistake, that absent an injunction of some sort, it's our intent to implement decriminalization,'" Gregoire told The Associated Press. "I don't want to spend a lot of money implementing this if you are going to attempt to block it."
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What the heck? 'Absent an injunction...attempt to block it." Who cares?! The feds will do what the feds will do. She as governor doesn't have the right to suspend implementing laws that WA voters approved just because she's nervous the feds won't like them.
 @NorthwestEconomist Yeah, I was having issue with this remark to, to me it read "And make no mistake, I will implement unless you tell me not to" What???
 @NorthwestEconomist Yep, December 6, 2012 legal weed wall drop from the skies and the people will be happy. There's going to be zero legal Marijuana and anyone possessing an ounce will have gotten it straight off the black market. Why is anyone surprised about the stalling from local and Federal Government? It's just like going and buying a Bong from a store with nothing to smoke. Yes, we will legalize marijuana but you can't buy it. Get a clue people and handle your own. These drones are playing games, stalling and working on a plan to put a stop to legalization.
 @Funky-Munky....trust me dude...I know where to get it, legal or not :-))
The people have spoken, federal government needs to back off. Â
She's just chomping at the bit to light up a blunt.....
 @dB Nope, her generation would call it a spliff..... :D) Â
 @Funky-Munky  @dB She rolled it from the lid she bought.
 @Hachee_Bungwhy Probably bought it from a MMC dispensary......