I’m in the midst of an unforgettable road trip, packed with vivid experiences. So far, I’ve shared an inspirational message at a Unitarian church in Spokane, hiked across a farm to see a huge “Hemp for Washington” sign overlooking a freeway with the farmer who posted it, and sipped wine in a trendy Walla Walla winery with a skeptical Republican legislator (Maureen Walsh, whose emotional speech about marriage equality just went viral on YouTube).
It’s all part of our 10-stops-in-7-days road trip with my team to talk up I-502, the Washington State initiative to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adults. (If you’d like to know more about why I support this initiative, read my recent editorial.) Working diligently on our laptops and cellphones as we drive, and determinedly lobbying legislators, mayors, and city council members each lunch and evening, it occurred to us as kind of funny how different we are from many of the people whose civil liberties we are defending.
Last night we enjoyed the odd experience of talking up marijuana law reform in the cute little faux-Bavarian town of Leavenworth — while tipsy revelers there were spilling out of the bars and into the streets as the entire place was celebrating a sloppy and boisterous Oktoberfest. The only vigorous opposition we’ve encountered was at the Washington State Capitol—from people who claim our law doesn’t go far enough. An angry gang who thinks our initiative is too restrictive and too strict in its DUI limits tried to shout us down. When I wonder who was behind that rumble at the rotunda, I have a hunch it was what I like to call the PPP (Pot Prohibition Profiteers).
Doing radio and newspaper interviews in the car as we roll, dining with a 27-year FBI veteran (the former special agent in charge of the Seattle division, who now understands that our nation’s war on marijuana is an expensive disaster), and sharing the stage with a Baptist minister whose African American community is taking the brunt of a war on drugs he considers racist, we find the days jam-packed with both learning and teaching.
We’re being trailed by a film crew making an hour-long documentary on the story of our historic-if-we-win initiative, which is on track to make our state a leader in deconstructing this prohibition one state at a time (which is how the earlier Prohibition was ended). We read about our events the morning after in small-town papers at truck stops. The national media is starting to pay attention to what’s about to happen in Washington State.
We’re four days down…and just over halfway through. And it’s a lot more than talks and politics. I’m seeing our state as never before, getting up early and marveling at the beauty of our “Inland Empire” in the sunrise light. Driving along the Columbia River Gorge from Vancouver, Washington, towards Kennewick, and then cutting through the Palouse from Walla Walla to Spokane, and driving over Blewett Pass through the turning leaves of fall — it’s all been a joy. (Well, all except for the speeding ticket two of our SUVs got — from a very friendly cop who liked my TV show…but not quite enough — near the Idaho border.)
It’s a heady mix of beauty, exhilaration, exhaustion, and fun, all pushing forward our strong belief that the truth is on our side. We believe that, ten years from now, our country will look back and be thankful that Washington State finally stood up to Washington, DC, and voted to take the crime out of marijuana: treating its abuse as a health and education challenge; ending a massive black market that has enriched and emboldened gangs and organized crime; and finally accepting its use by mature and responsible adults as a civil liberty.
Follow the rest of our tour on Facebook at – Yes On WA’s Marijuana Initiative 502, “Like” us and imagine helping this happen in your state. Or visit New Approach Washington. Thanks.
Why not? We allow many other things if they are taxed and regulated. It would free up money to enforce laws against cocaine, meth, heroin and underage drinking and cigarette smoking.
Yes, we agree, why not? And also consider all we have turned a blind eye to: running red lights; following too closely; buying assault rifles; cigarettes; alcohol. But your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins. We must all sympathize with those who have had tragedy because of these legal and taxes and addictive vices.
I really am anxious to see if this passes how it works out in Washington. Sounds like a very sound plan. The legalization of medical marijuania really has not worked in California. I sit here in my family room and can smell the sweet and bad skunk smell of the Pot grow in the yard behind me. Way more than anyone needs for medical issues. So this really will be interesting to me how this works out. Between the Pot Growers (and now they are stealing from one another) and the Federal Gov. in here raiding everything it is like being under siege in this beautiful small town we live in.
Sounds like Judy has experienced the law of unintended consequences which is often the case with seemingly good ideas. Sounds a bit like the drunks at college football games.
I hope this passes so that we can final get some actual evidence, one way or the other, of the results of these kinds of laws when applied in America. As happened when prohibition ended, there will surely be both good and bad consequences. The decision to be made is if we are better off one way versus the other.
Please come to Yakima Friday the 19th we r having a rally in downtown Yakima noon to 6 pm with live radio remote you should show up and show us you think Yakima counts
While I believe progressivism can be equated with unintended consequences, and personally feel that legalization of marijuana will have more negative effects then positive, I will leave the issue to the people to decide in a democratic process. What I find most interesting, however, is the dichotomy in RS’s position. On the one hand he champions legalization of marijuana as a civil liberty issue that should be enacted at a state/local level, YET he writes a blog extolling the virtues and righteousness of a centralized EU bureacracy that should rubber stamp directives on everybody in a one-size fits all approach. Democracy and PEOPLE deciding issues I guess is only championed for certain people when it suits their own causes it seems.
Rick, thanks for working on this issue. You are an outstanding spokesperson and you put your money where your mouth is. I just hope we can get you to come help us in Oregon as we try again here in 2014 or 2016!
Agree with Judy, the smell of the stuff growing in our neighborhood is awful. Like a dead skunk. But worse is when my neighbor and is friends are getting high in his open garage. The stereo going, the smoke polluting the air so bad we have to go inside and close the windows. At least with drunks one can call the police. This guy has a medical excuse to use the stuff for his bad back. Seems to be an epidemic of “bad backs” here.
So any state out to legalize the weed should be sure to make folks grow it and use it within the confines of their own homes. OR be ready to endure the stench.
Whether a person has a bad back or not isn’t for you to determine; and A grown adult has every right to smoke cannabis if he/she so chooses. That’s the awesome right to privacy we have; to be able to smoke inside our garage with it open.
I guarantee you wont die from the stench, there’s a plethora of things that ‘smell’ that others may not enjoying smelling.
Big Deal
The Obama Administration will ignore the results.
http://reason.com/blog/2012/10/22/obama-administration-speaks-out-on-marij
Check out the Netherlands. The tolerant, ever-pragmatic Dutch have changed course. Some visits to Amsterdam are instructive. Nice idea in Utopia but……..??