Do NOT vote against I-502... hear me out.

"“A kind of truce” has existed between federal enforcement agencies and dispensaries, McKenna told a phone briefing with reporters. “That could change if a state tries to legalize marijuana overall.."

taking pot shots at an initiative that would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana sales in Washington, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna predicted that I-502 will go down to defeat in November.

Democrat Jay Inslee is also opposing I-502, but Attorney General McKenna on Tuesday lined up with arguments that some medical marijuana dispensaries are using against the measure.

“A kind of truce” has existed between federal enforcement agencies and dispensaries, McKenna told a phone briefing with reporters. “That could change if a state tries to legalize marijuana overall . . . You have federal supremacy when it comes to laws like this.”

“I don’t think the measure is going to pass: There is broad-based opposition,” McKenna added.
There is also broad-based support.

Two former U.S. Attorneys for Western Washington, the retired head of Seattle’s FBI office, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes and former presidents of the state bar association and state medical association are backing I-502.

Alison Holcomb, campaign manager for I-502, argued that the initiative has been “thoughtfully crafted to foster dialogue with the federal government.” She said there is no precedent for the feds cracking down on a state where voters have spoken.
“The federal government’s policy, where states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes, has been to respect voters decisions, work cooperatively with the states, and save enforcement for large-scale operations that fall outside the parameters of the law,” Holcomb said.

McKenna refused to say what he would do if voters elect him Governor in November while, at the same time, voting to legalize and tax cannabis.
“I don’t want to comment on what could happen with a new law that’s not going to pass,” he said.

McKenna and Inslee hold their first public debate of the general election campaign on Wednesday night in Vancouver.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepol...-lose-mckenna/"

When I see a yuppy soccer mom pushing I502 on tv i know its a fucking scam.

Shivaskunk said:

When I see a yuppy soccer mom pushing I502 on tv i know its a fucking scam.

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To fucking true! LOL a few days ago I saw a comercial to "Take the money out of gangs hands and put it in the states hands". Like there is a big fucking difference between the two! I love how the state gets stupid people to fall for dumbass comercials, those are the same stupid people that believe that the government will do what is right by the tax payers! The government waists .50 of every dollar you give them and they they need more???????

If you took your wife home your paycheck and she turned around and threw half of it in the garbage disposal and then turned around and told you she needed more to pay the bills would you give her more money??????? If you siad yes you are a fucking idiot and you should eat a gun!

If we decriminalize marijuana then local growers benifit from the profit on it NOT gangs! A local grower will spend that money localy Wal Mart, Safeway, Albertsons, payless so on and so on. 90% of that money will go right back into the community! Instead Wa state is going to "round up all that gang money" and spend it on shit THEY think is good for you! Research? A few years ago I heard the government funded a study to figure out what personality in gay couples determined on weather they were a top or bottom! Tax dollars well fucking spent! Leave the money in the peoples hands! I garantee they will spend it localy! Fuck their unfair DUI laws that they are just going to go on wich hunts for " High " people so there is another way to generate state funds! Why don't cops show up for court with you? You have to ask for them to show up....... They changed that IMO so the cops can be out there on the streets writing BS tickets that people will just pay due to them not being able to afford to take a day off work! Payment plan! It's all a system to find out how to get more money out of the tax payer! Oh and the 30% tax on liquor "Sprits" That was the state letting go of control of the state liquor! They didn't want to run it anymore but they didn't want to let go of that 30% tax!

Way to look out for the tax payers during a recession Wa State! Slap a new 30% tax on liquor! LOL Oh yeah let's let them handle the State Marijuana that has to turn out good right????? All this free money we will be getting will make all of Wa states problems go away over night! LOL keep following SHEEP! 502 is BS and is in no way a step forward in marijuana legalization!

full of bullshit....us the medical patients get fucked.... and all the commercial growers get LEGAL. could you even imagine what they would do to the herb if it was regulated. for instance tobacco. i wanna know what im smoking! regulating it is definately not a good option for several reasons. I feel they should just bring the tax stamp back and leave it alone

tokin24/7 said:

I feel they should just bring the tax stamp back and leave it alone

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I wish it was illegal to sell Marijuana and encouraged to grow. And no penalty for giving it away. I have been watching Cannabis as a medical movement go from a focus on independence from capitalist pharmaceutical companies to definitive capitalism in itself. All this focus on the money behind Cannabis and the profit's possible use to benefit the economy. I am seeing more and more focus on the money side of the argument for cannabis regulation than on the thing that brought me into the movement in the first place. Compassion for ones fellow man, and the peace that comes therein from helping someone with a debilitating condition without clamoring around the concept that drives our medical industry. The concept and stated in a simple question. "How will you be paying for your treatment today?" (Stepping off my soap box now, and folks don't try to paint me as a communist. I am in fact a dedicated capitalist who realizes the system is flawed but it is better than the other options. But I extremely oppose the concept of capital focus in healthcare and within the corrections system. Hospital's and prison's should have a feasible design for economic sustainability but to profit off the sick or to pronunciate upon the imprisoned for use as slave labor to maintain corporate profit margin's I find abhorrent.)

Vote NO on I502

I have read both the law and the new bill. Maybe I'm wrong, but I-502, does not say anything about superceding our medical authorization. We will still be able to grow our medicine. I am still voting no anyway though. The whole idea of the state selling weed makes me want to hurl.

The whole idea of getting a DUI because I smoked four days ago make me want to fight a MF.

The operator of three state-compliant medical marijuana dispensaries will be tried in federal court this week in Los Angeles. Aaron Sandusky, 42, who operated facilities in Upland, Colton and Moreno Valley, was raided by federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents last November and was charged with six felonies, including manufacturing marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, and conspiracy.

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the feds will not allow a free for all over 21...even if washington state passes a law

The feds dont give a shit about state compliant marijuana sales or distribution and they dont allow any medical defense in federal court

BUT

In a week, on October 16, oral arguments will occur before the D.C. Circuit in a federal lawsuit that could have a sweeping impact on the Justice Department's ability to prosecute medical marijuana cases like Sandusky's. The case, Americans for Safe Access v. DEA, challenges the federal government's classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medical value.


If the plaintiffs prevail, people prosecuted under federal law would have the right to a medical defense. That, in turn, could discourage the federal government from prosecuting medical marijuana cases.

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So do you guys think its going to pass?

No, I predict over 40% in favor but no win.

OK guys I just got done voting on 502 with my mailin ballot. I was lauging while I read again about the proposed bill while taking a shit, perfect place to read that piece of shit!

I love how non medical people think this is going to drop the price of weed on the streets! Right now the fair market donation IMO is 220 a zip for some upper mids to top shelf! I assume that people that are voting yes to this bill are probably dorks that don't know anyone that will hook them up on weed or they are just simply to fucking lazy to go get their medical card! I mean come on people it isn't hard to get your card!

Now my simple understanding is that the state is going to enact 75% worth of sales taxes at each point of sale. 25% from producer to "processor" then 25% from "processor" to retailer, then 25% from retailer to the people! So I said fair market on MMJ is round $220, follow me on this, if the grower sells his oz to processor for $100 it would be $125, then $125 turns into$156.25 from processor to retailer. Then $156.25 turns into a oz that is sold at roughly $195 sold from retailer to You! And that is if the original grower sells oz's for $100. I don't know anyone that can grow dank smoke for 100 a zip. If anyone does know how to do this please PM me and share! It isn't fun growing as a job and you barely stay above water! You will pay ALL the taxes as the consumer!

Where is all the money from the overhead going to come from????? HMMMMM Growers have to pay $250 annually for the privilege to grow for the state, then $1000 per growspot, then all their overhead, nutes, power, water, time, clones, gas, getting robbed, so on and so on. Who is going to pay for the power at the store? Where isall this money going to come from? Ohhh we didn't see the big picture did we? And that is a small problem with the bill! Oz's aren't going to drop my friends they will do nothing but go up!

The state wants to put 75% tax on this whole thing andhave NO cost running it! We thought a 30% tax was big on liquor????? Hell Wa is going big this time with 75%! LOL Go ahead and vote yes on 502 morons! I can and do grow my own good ass weed! I'll smoke and laugh as you all pay $50 or more for shitty 1/8's.

And the DUI laws on this are fucking laughable. I will refuse a blood test every time! I will do every other test but that one! I will not have some fuck head cop stick a needle or draw my blood in any other way! If he wants to he can take me to the doctor of MY choice and we can do it there and the state can fit the bill! If not I have a medical deff in court. I am 100% sure a cop wont ask me to do that cus I don't dirve around fucked up, nor would I give a cop a reason to pull me out of the car or give me any of those kind of tests. I'm also white, and if you think that doesn't have anything to do with it then you are ignorant. I know cops treat me different, I aint gonna complain! Use it to my advantage!

Howard Stern said:

Now my simple understanding is that the state is going to enact 75% worth of sales taxes at each point of sale. 25% from producer to "processor" then 25% from "processor" to retailer, then 25% from retailer to the people! So I said fair market on MMJ is round $220, follow me on this, if the grower sells his oz to processor for $100 it would be $125, then $125 turns into$156.25 from processor to retailer. Then $156.25 turns into a oz that is sold at roughly $195sold from retailer to You! And that is if the original grower sells oz's for $100. I don't know anyone that can grow dank smoke for 100 a zip. If anyone does know how to do this please PM me and share! It isn't fun growing as a job and you barely stay above water! You will pay ALL the taxes as the consumer!

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Yes the tax margin disturbs me, and it also disturbs me that before the ballot not many folks knew about the tax rates in question. Hopefully voters read the fine print... Most of these "legalization" measures are a laugh riot from a tax perspective. (Quotes very intentional, I-502 is not legalization.) Many of which have been support by cash strapped counties thinking that we'll pay more for Cannabis than it already cost's. With these tax plan's they won't even dent the black market, it will just be cause more "syntax" or whatever the term is for a industry or individuals that thrives off not paying taxes in a taxed environment.

Now let me give you my BIG beef against I-502, people would sign a into law a DUI provision that is in my humble opinion draconian meanwhile the powers that be can put the rest of the bill on "Hiatus" indefinitely. I say this with such assured conviction because I remember 3 years ago I believe, was the first time a Washington co-op provision was passed and put into our legal documents. After it was passed but before it was written into law Governor Gregoire upheld the provision that could be used to temporarily ban dispensaries and put the co-op provision under hiatus. (I think it was Gregoire but it was three years ago after all. I need a fact checker.) And beyond that there is NOTHING to stop this from happening at the federal level. Oh the fed could be the excuse for upholding the D.U.I. provision and putting the rest on hiatus especially consider the court struggle that began today about rescheduling cannabis.

Does anyone remember this? Perhaps have an article to sorten out the facts? There is one in the RIU archive I think.

You are pretty much on track. Each county was allowed to "stay" the new law on dispenseries until THEY could figure out how it best works for them. Like you said, they are using bait and switch again. If people realized that alcohol taxes were going to increase the cost of alcohol by more than 20%, nobody would have voted for that Bill to make it available at more locations and for more hours. The voter's pamphlet that came in the mail explaining each side of the debate said NOTHING about a 30% sin tax, on top of sales tax. Now, they are appealing to the idiots who think they are winning the "legalize marijuana" war, while the truth is, they are taking waaaaaaaay more than they are giving. The FTC has laws against tactics like this, but they don't apply to gov't; apparently.

People need to be a WHOLE LOT MORE suspicious of gov't after this. I thought the Patriot Act I AND II would have made people sit up and pay attention. Sadly I was wrong. This country is full of passive folks who roll over and just take it. As long as pharmacuetical companies haven't found a way to package and sell cannabis, "We the People" will NEVER see any type of legalization. Accept it. Be happy with medical cards and grow your own. For those without cards, it's easy enough to get. But to give the law the right to convict you of DUI days after you smoke is Draconian. Shit you would think only happens in Dictatorships. Crazy.

I am ready for whatever comes at me! I got my weed and its good so leave me alone and people can pay whatever they want to the state! Doesn't fucking effect me! Trust me clayton I feel ya about this country! What can ya do? Vote for the lesser of the two evils? Grow big sticky buds and be happy! I started growing some corn, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes with my girls! Give it a try guys, learn it now so when the government starts creating fake shortages to drive up prices on fruits and veggies you have them in the grow room!

OK, It's not just the DUI provision that we are against. (although that is relevant and gives LEO way too much leeway ). We are also against the fact that --- under the new law, medical cannabis will cost $746.00 per oz at the end of the line. That is with the 25% and the 25% and the 40% that the State wants to charge. That's $100 for the grower, $256.00 for the State tax and the rest to the retail outlet. And to top it off, we, the legitimate patients cannot grow our own medicine. What part of BOGUS!!! do you not understand?

My understand was I-502 even if passed had no stipulations on medical cannabis grows.

HippySmoke said:

My understand was I-502 even if passed had no stipulations on medical cannabis grows.

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You are correct! And nobody is going to pay taxes on their med weed up to $746 or anything like that! I can't wait to visit the state weed store and see what the prices will be. It should be funny, and maybe they can pull off the miracle that everyone wants? I just don't see how the state thinks they are going to sell 1/8's for $50 when they are 40 or less now, and how they are going to sell oz's for $320+???? I think the state and all the 502 supporters have Pie in the sky ideas about tax revenue and all these fantsies that people are going to pay way more $ for lesser quality or same quality they are getting now without all the silly taxes! Why would people decide to just pay more? Maybe they plan on beefing up police crack downs on people smoking weed that isn't from the state?????? LOL they can't stop it now! Hmmmmmm something to think about? should be interesting to see what happens.

I just hope that the street legal state price doesn't drive up the donation price for MMJ! If the state is selling weed for $320 an oz wouldn't it make sense that the medical donation will go up at these dispensaries? HMMMM do they really care about the MMJ patients or their wallets? Hmmm Why wouldn't the state let you grow your own? Is that really legalization? State legalization doesn't mess with medical law at all! I will still keep growing mad weed! Also if 502 goes through they may start loosening up laws on MMJ and let us grow more!!!! Hell I don't give a shit if 502 goes through or not should be interesting!

HippySmoke said:

My understand was I-502 even if passed had no stipulations on medical cannabis grows.

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True.... and a list of all medical patients names addresses ect will be made available to police enforcement......

Easy for them to link medical patients to drivers licenses....when being pulled over guess who will be automactically asked to test

Why not allow home grows for everyone who wants to and for those who dont they have the stores.....choices thats legalization

....I-514 allows a 20x20

colonuggs said:

True.... and a list of all medical patients names addresses ect will be made available to police enforcement......

Easy for them to link medical patients to drivers licenses....when being pulled over guess who will be automactically asked to test

Why not allow home grows for everyone who wants to and for those who dont they have the stores.....choices thats legalization

....I-514 allows a 20x20

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Jebus!!! I was not aware of the names of patients being made available to anyone. If that shit passes, I will move to another med state. That is like shooting fish in a barrel.