No We Won't

Justice Department says they won't interfere with state legalization of medical and recreational marijuana.



Seattle holds an annual "Hempfest" or marijuana festival, reportedly the largest yearly pot celebration in the world.  This year was the first time it was held since Washington state voters overwhelmingly decided to legalize recreational use.  Video below from the 2013 festival this past month.  



Seattle police handled legalization issues at the 2013 Hempfest by indulging festival goers' munchies with free bags of Doritos sporting public information flyers:

Video of Dorito distribution below, including further footage of festival merriment.
 

Prohibition Ends

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Marijuana in the type known as cannibis sativa, 
and in a 6th century scientific manuscript  
known as the Vienna Dioscurides, and dated 512 AD.

Democracy Now! discussion here on the historic legislation in Washington State and Colorado legalizing marijuana, and voted in by large margins.  Now the issue is the Federal government.  

For Washington State, where the measure is projected to bring even billions in revenue over the next five years, the Seattle Times has this article, and more information here in a live chat that was held with Alison Holcomb from the Initiative 502 campaign.

Waxing nostalgic, a 1933 newsreel on the end of alcohol prohibition. 

 

War On Drugs

Real News hosts a discussion on the so-called "war on drugs," and with law enforcement officials calling for legalization.  The legalization of marijuana is on the ballot in Washington State, Oregon, and Colorado.  In Washington State alone, legalization could provide the state 1.5 billion dollars over the next five years, including money for jobs and healthcare in a system that had over 100,000 people on a state health plan waiting list.


 

Peace Caravan

Poet and activist Javier Sicilia's Peace Caravan crossed the Mexican/U.S. border this month.  They are traveling the U.S. to promote a U.S.-Mexico alliance to fight the drug war and calling upon the U.S. to legalize drugs.

In November, Washington State votes on Initiative 502 to legalize and regulate the recreational use of marijuana.  Washington State is one of 16 states and the District of Columbia with legalized medical use.  If the initiative passes, Washington could become the first state in the country to legalize recreational use, reportedly putting it at odds, however, with federal laws.  

June 2012 polling shows voters favoring the initiative by a 50-37 percent margin.  The legislation could provide over 1.5 billion dollars in revenue over the next 5 years, including money for jobs and the state health care program that had over 100,000 people on a waiting list.

Oregon and Colorado are considering similar measures in November.