Marijuana Reform Act - Initiative No. 1068

time spent: 25 minutes

I have chosen this initiative as part of this project because I am aware that some states are considering this option as a means of increasing revenue (and closing budget gaps) through taxes associated with the sale of marijuana. I don't use marijuana so I have no personal motivation for approving the initiative; at the same time I really don't know where I stand on the matter of legalizing the substance as I've heard sound arguments from both sides of the issue.

To start my own research on the topic, I downloaded the full text of the initiative being proposed: http://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/text/i1068.pdf. Basically, this initiative is drafted to legalize the rights of persons 18 years or older to growing, transporting, selling or smoking the drug. What I am still looking for is the information that I would need to accompany this proposition, such as who regulates the 'quality' of marijuana being sold; where can marijuana be sold; will it be taxed; where can it be smoked, etc.

To get some background on the 'success' of legalizing marijuana, I turned to Amsterdam, where marijuana is considered a 'soft drug' and the substance is legalized on a limited level. Here is one of the sites I looked to: http://www.amsterdam.info/drugs/. I expected to find more clear cut guidance, but instead found that the laws are somewhat lax. For example, production, trade and stock of marijuana is still a criminal offense, which basically turns a blind side to where the marijuana is sourced in the first place. I did learn that only limited amounts can be in stock and sold on a per transaction basis and advertising the product is banned, but I still don't have all the parts of the puzzle in place. I need to sort out whether my concerns are one of safety, of health, of taxes or something else. In other words, what difference does legalizing marijuana make in my life, or am I simply casting a vote on behalf of someone else?

This site offers a bit more regarding Amsterdam and the guidelines for marijuana use: http://www.amsterdamescape.com/Drugs.html