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Search Results: western washington (47)

DEA Sweeps Across Western Washington With Dispensary Raids

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 15, 2011 Dispensaries, News

DEA agent Tuesday morning at Seattle Cannabis Co-op’s location in the Rainier neighborhood

Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided medical marijuana collectives in Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Puyallup, Rochester, and Lacey, Washington, as a coordinated raid swept across the Puget Sound region on Tuesday.

Patient advocates and legal defense groups report that at least nine dispensaries have been raided, according to The Seattle Times. Ben Livingston of the patient advocacy group Cannabis Defense Coalition said he’s spoken with several dispensary owners and defense attorney Aaron Pelley, who confirmed raids were occurring.

“I’m in shock because now I have no pain medicine,” said patient Cameron Christenson outside of Seattle Cannabis Co-op on Rainer Avenue, reports David Rose at Q13 Fox News. “I can think of 100 crack houses in town — why don’t you go raid those?”

Tennessee cops blame their pot “problem” on Washington and Colorado

By William Breathes on June 9, 2014 News, Say what?

Despite being three states away from Colorado and the fact that legalized recreational sales in Washington haven’t even begun, law enforcement in Tennessee blame those two states (and California) for marijuana found in Tennessee.
Never you mind that Kentucky, long home to some of the most prolific outdoor cannabis growers in the country, shares hundreds of miles of border with Tennessee. This is those dirty, weed-loving Western states’ problem, damnit.

Today Is Marijuana Legalization Day In Washington State

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on December 6, 2012 Culture, Legislation, News

Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

By Phillip Dawdy

Special to Toke of the Town

Today is Legalization Day in Washington. Evergreen State voters made a loud and clear statement on November 6, dear readers, and here we are 30 days later leading the way in — finally! — taking cannabis to a new and different place.

This is the first time full legalization (or “legalization,” as some I-502 detractors still insist) has happened anywhere on Earth since America banned the fabulous cannabis plant in 1937. That’s a big deal — for Washington, for America, and for the world.

Even if you didn’t vote for 502 due to its many flaws, I encourage you to embrace this moment because something like this only comes around once in our lives. Americans, including my grandfather, have died for our right to tell the feds to stuff it over cannabis.

Breathe deep. Full absorption.

Washington Becomes 2nd State In One Day To Legalize Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 6, 2012 Legislation, News

Nuggetry

Voters Say Yes To Regulation, Taxation Plan

Isn’t it just the way it always goes? Nothing for 75 years, then two states in one day. Washington voters resoundingly approved Initiative 502, which regulates and taxes marijuana production in the state, with 56 percent voting Yes and 44 percent voting No.

The state’s voters on Tuesday evening joined those of Colorado, from which results had become final earlier, in legalizing cannabis.

New Approach Washington Launches Fall TV Ad Campaign

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 10, 2012 Legislation, News

New Approach Washington

Former U.S. Attorney John McKay is among the sponsors of a drive to legalize marijuana for adults in Washington state.

Marijuana ‘Legalization’ Effort Features Former U.S. Attorneys and F.B.I. Special Agent in Charge

New Approach Washington, the committee backing Washington state’s “legalization” ballot measure Initiative 502, will launch its fall media campaign on Thursday, October 11. The campaign will feature two 30-second ads that will air on broadcast and cable television throughout western Washington and Spokane.

“An overwhelming majority of Washington citizens agree that treating marijuana use as a crime has failed,” said Alison Holcomb, campaign director for New Approach Washington. “Initiative 502, endorsed by law enforcement, public health doctors, and prevention and treatment experts, is a carefully considered, responsible approach to changing course. We can do better, and our communities deserve it.”

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Bill Dies In Washington Legislature

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 16, 2012 Legislation, News

The Pacific Northwest Inlander

Almost 14 years after Washington state voters approved the medicinal use of cannabis, patients in many parts of the state still have no safe access to it. A bill which would have formally legalized medical marijuana dispensaries in Washington has died in the Legislature.

Thus ends yet another effort to clearly define the legal status of the cannabis storefronts, of which there are already more than 100 in Seattle, Tacoma and surrounding areas, reports Jonathan Martin at the Seattle Times.

Although there were enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill, according to sponsor Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle), it didn’t make it past the deadline for bills to advance because of limited time in the short session, as well as due to opposition from some Republican lawmakers and a handful of cities.

Washington, R.I. Governors Ask Feds To Reclassify Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 30, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical, News

Seattle Weekly

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire: “Has anybody died from marijuana?”

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire and Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee have asked the federal government to reclassify marijuana as a drug that can be prescribed by doctors and filled by pharmacists, in a move that would require the federal Food and Drug Administration to conduct new studies.

The move by the governors gives new political muscle to the debate on the legal and medicinal status of marijuana, which has been raging across an American cultural divide for decades, reports Michael Cooper at The New York Times.

“The divergence in state and federal law creates a situation where there is no regulated and safe system to supply legitimate patients who may need medical cannabis,” the governors wrote on Wednesay to Michele M. Leonhart, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

“In the year 2011, why can’t medical cannabis be prescribed by a physician and filled at the drug store just like any other medication?” Gregoire said on Wednesday, reports Vanessa Ho at SeattlePI.com.

Washington Marijuana Patients Protest Federal Dispensary Raids

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 16, 2011 Dispensaries, Medical, News

Stephanie Bishop

From left, activists Anthony Martinelli, Cydney Moore, Daniel Erdmann and Steve Phun protest at the Federal Building in Seattle on Wednesday

About 40 medical marijuana patients were stirred into action on Wednesday, protesting at the Federal Building in Seattle after Tuesday’s raids by the federal government on dispensaries across Western Washington.

“I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to see over 40 committed activists in the cold and rain in front of the Federal Building today,” said activist Don Skakie of legalization effort Yes End Penalties Washington (YEP WA). “Forty might not seem like much to some, but they represent many who could not, weren’t able or were just plain too scared to show up to defend our rights and tell the Feds to back off.”

One of those patients, 28-year-old Juliana Plemitscher, who treats her epilepsy with cannabis, said she wouldn’t normally join a public protest against marijuana laws outside the Federal Building, reports Scott Gutierrez at the Seattle P.I.

“It never really occurred to me to get involved in something like this, but when it was Seattle Cross that got shut down — those were good guys,” Plemitscher said. “It makes it kind of personal.”

Washington: 5 Indicted In Federal Medical Marijuana Crackdown

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 21, 2011 Dispensaries, News

Photo: KREM.com

Charles Wright was one of the five men federally indicted Wednesday in a federal crackdown on medical marijuana in Spokane, Washington

A federal grand jury has indicted five medical marijuana dispensary owners in and near Spokane, Washington. On Wednesday, a laundry list of federal marijuana charges, including distributing and selling near an elementary school, were announced in the indictments.

Four of those indicted consist of two two-man owner teams from two separate Spokane dispensaries, while the fifth person indicted was allegedly cultivating more than 100 marijuana plants in Loon Lake, Washington.

‘New Approach Washington’ Files Initiative To Legalize Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 22, 2011 Legislation, News

Photo: Don Skakie

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes: “Ending marijuana prohibition and focusing on rational regulation and taxation will free up law enforcement resources to combat violent and property crimes, and it will restore respect for government and the law”

There’s a new move afoot to legalize cannabis in Washington state. The newly formed political action committee New Approach Washington on Wednesday filed an initiative to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana in the state. Sponsoring the measure are prominent civic leaders, along with members of the public health and legal communities.

The initiative would authorize the Washington State Liquor Control Board to regulate the production and distribution of marijuana for sale to adults 21 and older through state-licensed stores. A new marijuana excise tax would be earmarked for prevention, research, education, and health care. State and local retail sales taxes would be directed to the general fund and location budgets.

Unfortunately, the initiative would not allow the cultivation of marijuana by recreational users (medical marijuana patients in Washington are already allowed 15 plants). Cannabis users would be required to buy their supply at state-licensed stores. Another possible sticking point is the codification a THC blood level of of 5 ng/ml as per se driving under the influence; that would criminalize any driving by most medical marijuana patients, although very few daily medicinal users would be impaired at that level.

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