Marijuana Now Legal In Washington, Dc

[Chauncy Gardner]

Hot off the presses:

 

 

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/marijuana-officially-legal-in-washington-d-c-for-now-20150226

 

 

As of Midnight Thursday, marijuana is now legal in Washington, D.C. However, how long weed stays decriminalized in the nation's capital remains to be seen. After Washington D.C. residents voted in support of legal pot this past Election Day, Congress attempted to block the bill by attaching preventative measures in an unrelated $1.1 trillion spending deal. However, the definition of the word "enact" gave D.C. officials a loophole in their pursuit to decriminalize weed, and as of 12:01 a.m., pot is legal there unless Congress steps up efforts to stop it.

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While other states with legalized weed only allow citizens to be in possession of an ounce of weed, Washington, D.C. doubles that amount with a two-ounce max. Anything over that quantity will result in a $1,000 fine and a potential jail sentence. D.C. residents can also own up to six marijuana plants, but to discourage selling, only three can be budding. Like Alaska, Colorado and Washington, residents can also gift an ounce of weed to a fellow resident, but selling it is still illegal. Like the other pro-pot states, driving under the influence of marijuana and smoking pot in public are against the law, ABC News reports.

As the Washington Post writes, officials in Washington, D.C. argue that Congress' actions didn't stop their marijuana bill from passing. Instead, because of Congress' demand that no money be spent attempting to "enact" the pot bill, all Congress did was prevent city officials from working on a plan for the sale and taxation of the legal marijuana, a process that took over a year in dispensary-happy states like Washington and Colorado. (The Post adds that city officials could face jail time by simply discussing a pot plan during office hours.) As of now, marijuana is simply legal in Washington, D.C. without any plan to cultivate its economic stimulus.

From Congress' point of view, the decriminalized weed in Washington, D.C. is in strict opposition to the language they tacked on to the spending bill and therefore still illegal in the District of Columbia. Unfortunately for Congress, D.C. Metro police answer only to city officials, who have said that marijuana is legal in the capital.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/marijuana-officially-legal-in-washington-d-c-for-now-20150226#ixzz3Ssko8zHq
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[YesMichigan]

Thank you voters of Washington DC for putting the issue at the feet of those hypocrites in Congress.

 

This reminds me of how Arlington National Cemetery got started.

[t-pain]

noice. so noice in fact that DC should get thousands of people to show up and do a smoke out on the front lawn of the white house. maybe if obama smells some weed again he'll flashback into the 1970s and remember the choom gang.

[YesMichigan]

noice. so noice in fact that DC should get thousands of people to show up and do a smoke out on the front lawn of the white house. maybe if obama smells some weed again he'll flashback into the 1970s and remember the choom gang.

 

I'm in.

[t-pain]

remember though its fed land so that would be possible fed charges if caught. civil disobediance has its price.

[YesMichigan]

remember though its fed land so that would be possible fed charges if caught. civil disobediance has its price.

 

Well maybe not the White House lawn. I figured that was hyperbole to get enthusiasm rolling.

 

I'm sure there is a location a group of us should be on April 20th and will be surrounded by like-minded-freedom-loving-Citizens of America. To embrace the concept of Self-Determination upon which the Nation was founded!

 

AKA - No, I'm not going to jail to martyr a cause that has too many already.

[flower pharm]

lets keep in mind 47sq. blocks around capitol is gov. under federal law, so if you can see the capitol your prob breaking the law!

Edited February 26, 2015 by flower pharm

[YesMichigan]

lets keep in mind 47sq. blocks around capitol is gov. under federal law, so if you can see the capitol your prob breaking the law!

 

How can I keep in mind something I didn't know? Good point it seems. So 24 blocks out in either direction? 16 city blocks is roughly a mile. So 2 miles in any direction should be good?

 

I had to recalculate because it seemed Fletcher-Johnson Recreation Center was the only option.

 

How about LeDetroit Park? 2.1 miles from the Capitol. Seems the perfect location.

[cristinew]

Threaten DC Mayor with Arrest If She Pushes Marijuana Through

The nation's capitol is set to legalize marijuana at midnight.

By Phillip Smith / AlterNet

February 25, 2015

•  

Print

77 COMMENTS

 

Photo Credit: Luis Carlos Jimenez del rio / Shutterstock.com

Even as the nation's capital moves to implement the will of its voters and legalize the possession and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana at midnight tonight, a pair of congressional Republican hard-liners are threatening Mayor Muriel Bowser with the prospect of arrest for doing so.

In a letter to Mayor Bowser sent yesterday, Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Mark Meadows (R-NC), argued that it is illegal for the District to move forward with legalization. They said that a rider attached to a federal appropriations bill barred the District to use any funds to enact marijuana legalization.

DC officials disagree. They say the law was enacted by the voters voting for it back in November. If Congress wants to block implementation of legalization in the District, it has to act before a 30-day review period is up by passing a Resolution of Disapproval and getting the president to sign it. That 30-day period ends today, and Congress has not acted.

But that doesn't stop Chaffetz and Meadows from asserting that the rider blocks enactment of the pot law and threatening Bowser with arrest. “If you decide to move forward tomorrow with the legalization of marijuana in the District, you will be doing so in knowing and willful violation of the law,” they warned in the letter.

But Bowser and other city officials say they are committed to carrying out the will of the voters. Will Chaffetz and Meadows act on their threats? That could bring on a real show down between the District and Congress. 

 

Phillip Smith is editor of the AlterNet Drug Reporter and author of the Drug War Chronicle.

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Threaten DC Mayor with Arrest If She Pushes Marijuana Through

 

 

 

 

The nation's capitol is set to legalize marijuana at midnight.

 

 

 

By Phillip Smith / AlterNet

February 25, 2015

 

 

 

•  

 

 

 

 

 

Print

 

 

77 COMMENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Luis Carlos Jimenez del rio / Shutterstock.com

 

 

 

Even as the nation's capital moves to implement the will of its voters and legalize the possession and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana at midnight tonight, a pair of congressional Republican hard-liners are threatening Mayor Muriel Bowser with the prospect of arrest for doing so.

In a letter to Mayor Bowser sent yesterday, Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Mark Meadows (R-NC), argued that it is illegal for the District to move forward with legalization. They said that a rider attached to a federal appropriations bill barred the District to use any funds to enact marijuana legalization.

DC officials disagree. They say the law was enacted by the voters voting for it back in November. If Congress wants to block implementation of legalization in the District, it has to act before a 30-day review period is up by passing a Resolution of Disapproval and getting the president to sign it. That 30-day period ends today, and Congress has not acted.

But that doesn't stop Chaffetz and Meadows from asserting that the rider blocks enactment of the pot law and threatening Bowser with arrest. “If you decide to move forward tomorrow with the legalization of marijuana in the District, you will be doing so in knowing and willful violation of the law,” they warned in the letter.

But Bowser and other city officials say they are committed to carrying out the will of the voters. Will Chaffetz and Meadows act on their threats? That could bring on a real show down between the District and Congress. 

 

 

 

Phillip Smith is editor of the AlterNet Drug Reporter and author of the Drug War Chronicle.

 

Typical Republican hypocritical behaviour from the party of "freedom and personal responsibility". These guys can't get the support they need in congress in order to block legalization so they resort to empty threats. I suppose that these commie-fascist aholes will be telling us what we can and cannot read pretty soon.

 

Oh wait. They are already doing that in our schools I guess. Too late.

[Restorium2]

Nice law. Lets see if they get to keep their grows. This is a ray of hope illuminating the problem as being solely Republican. 

[t-pain]

yesmichigan, they put out a map earlier , shaded in colors to specify what parts of DC were fed land. really most of it is haha, just a few blocks of private property in there total unfortunately.

[flower pharm]

just read another article (I don't know how to link?) AP  rep.andy harris republican says one would think the city would have complied with the wishes of congress.becuase congress funds the district to the tune of 670mil a year,that they would not have legalized because its against fed law. so does this mean if d.c. keeps the law the people voted for, that they will lose funding in 2016? veiled threat?

Edited February 27, 2015 by flower pharm

[Restorium2]

just read another article (I don't know how to link?) AP  rep.andy harris republican says you would think the fact that congress funds the district to the tune of 670mil a year,that they would not have legalized because its against fed law. so does this mean if d.c. keeps the law the people voted for, that they will lose funding in 2016? veiled threat?

He thinks he is scoring political points running his mouth. None of his blather actually means anything of substance. He's just making a cold and calculated political move by kicking the pot heads and those who would lift a finger of support. Many are giving him the finger.

[Restorium2]

yesmichigan, they put out a map earlier , shaded in colors to specify what parts of DC were fed land. really most of it is haha, just a few blocks of private property in there total unfortunately.

I watched a show with an illegal closet grow there turning legal over night. 

[AmishRnot4ganja]

I have really tried to understand Republicans. I now believe that they are inextricably wrapped up in deceiving themselves and, in order to justify their own self deceit, must get other people to buy in to their bull schit thereby creating an ever expanding circle of self deception. Mass hysteria fueled by political ambition.

Edited February 27, 2015 by amish4ganja

[Restorium2]

I have really tried to understand Republicans. I now believe that they are inexorably wrapped up in deceiving themselves and, in order to justify their own self deceit, must get other people to buy in to their bull schit thereby creating an ever expanding circle of self deceit. Mass hysteria fueled by political ambition.

They just are depending on dumb scared haters for votes. So they jump out in the press to impress them to get their votes. The same way with all issues.