Marijuana decriminalised in Washington state

| 06/12/2012

marijuana_cultivation-786652.jpg(BBC): Possession of marijuana has become legal in the US state of Washington, a month after voters opted for decriminalisation. From midnight (08:00 GMT) anyone aged 21 and over was allowed to carry up to 1oz (28.4g) of cannabis, but smoking it in public will remain illegal. It has been legal for medical use in the state since 1998. A law legalising gay marriage also came into effect in Washington state on Thursday. On 6 November Washington, Maine and Maryland became the first US states to back same-sex marriage in a popular vote, and Washington is the first of those to enact the law. The first same-sex weddings in Washington are expected on Sunday.

Gay marriage is permitted in six states, but those laws were passed by legislators or by courts. 

Go to article

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Category: World News

About the Author ()

Comments (49)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    I agree with most posts here, but you have to keep it away from kids, some recent studies have indicated that ANY drugs(alchohol, pain killers, medications and some processed foods) taking regularly during adolescent years will have a significant effect upon that adolescents learning capabilities later on during thier adult years, much less so if not practically non-exiestent for those who started experimenting in thier early-mid 20's.

     

    Take the money that is wasted on enforcement and give it to the colleges/schools to educate. 

  2. Anonymous says:

    As far as i am concerned, here is the bottom line.

     

    If you feel the ganja laws in cayman do more harm to an individual and the country as a whole than ganja itself, then you support legalization. *raises hand*

     

    If you feel the ganja laws in cayman do less harm to an individual and the country as a whole than ganja itself, then you support keeping it a criminal offense.

    To have a valid and relevant opinion that means you have to research FACTS, if you have no interest in pursuing facts then frankly your opinion haa little value and you should find something else to concern yourself with.

    The last thing this country needs is more ignorance dictating laws.

  3. Anonymous says:

    And if you don't support legalization, what is it that you know, that these establishments don't. What is the chance that you are better educated on the facts than these people supporting legalization. That said, go do some research.

     

    Health Organizations Supporting Immediate Legal Access to Medical Marijuana  

    International and National Organizations  

    AIDS Action Council
    AIDS Treatment News American
    Academy of Family Physicians
    American Medical Student Association
    American Nurses Association
    American Preventive Medical Association
    American Public Health Association
    American Society of Addiction Medicine
    Arthritis Research Campaign (United Kingdom)
    Australian Medical Association (New South Wales) Limited
    Australian National Task Force on Cannabis
    Belgian Ministry of Health
    British House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology
    British House of Lords Select Committee On Science and Technology (Second Report) British Medical Association
    Canadian AIDS Society
    Canadian Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs
    Dr. Dean Edell (surgeon and nationally syndicated radio host)
    French Ministry of Health Health Canada
    Kaiser Permanente Lymphoma Foundation of America
    The Montel Williams MS Foundation
    Multiple Sclerosis Society (Canada)
    The Multiple Sclerosis Society (United Kingdom)
    National Academy of Sciences Institute Of Medicine (IOM)
    National Association for Public Health Policy
    National Nurses Society on Addictions
    Netherlands Ministry of Health
    New England Journal of Medicine
    New South Wales (Australia) Parliamentary Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes
    Dr. Andrew Weil (nationally recognized professor of internal medicine and founder of the National Integrative Medicine Council)

  4. Anonymous says:

    Finally the pendulum is starting to swing back into the domain of common sense. Do yourself a favor, before you start talking about ganja as if you are an expert, do some research. I am sick of Caymanians regurgitating what somebody told them instead of finding out for themselves. There is an abundance of information out there in scientific journals documenting how assine criminalization of ganja is. Before you post something ask yourself, is this my OPINION or is it fact. That said, this issue isn’t going to be addresses until the politicians are confronted. The polls say cayman is ready for legalization, the majority of the country supports it but unless there is pressure on political parties then the law will remain. A closed mouth does not get fed, it’s time we stand up.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Can we use one of the too many churches here for  a weekly pot luck luncheon? Now that would be a good ole worship and praise session !!  hehehe, no need for tithes and offerings, just bring rolling paper and some cookies or cakes, twinkes – something sweet 

    • Anonymous says:

      lol Elmslie's mother church actually supports legalization.

      I always find it confusing when caymanian christians use christianity as an argument against ganja. I can't tell the amount of times i've heard the 'your body is a temple' line. Last time i checked most churches and temples i have seen have stained glass windows and use incense of some sort. Don't get me wrong, i appreciate the concern for my spiritual welfare but i think a lot of the older caymanian generation are misguided when it comes to ganja.

      I'll be honest, i think a lot of the negative attitudes the older caymanians have towards ganja is reflective of their predjudice to jamaicans but thats another STUPID can of worms.

      • Anonymous says:

        Most churches do not use incense. In any event that is entirely besides the point. Incense is not hallucinagenic.  

  6. noname says:

    Hello,

     

    if anyone wants to learn more about Cannabis and Hemp, and its versatile application – go on youtube and watch the 49-minute documentary: "This is What We Can Do When We Grow". 

     

    I am pro-legalisation, and want to give people the chance to see what it's all about. 🙂

    • Anonymous says:

      Thanks for sharing that video.  Watched it last night and my wife and I really enjoyed it.  I've already tried to share it with my friends and family.

    • Anonymous says:

      great documentary.  another good one is the Union documentary which breaks down WHY it was made illegal in the first place. Once people realize it was made illegal behind lies, racism and capitalism it makes it hard to continue to support the madness.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I got a better idea. Legalise it here just for the MLA's…lets keep them so stoned that they can no longer intefere with the running of an otherwise succesful Island state.

  8. Anonymous says:

    We are so far behind the times in Cayman its crazy. We are an island in the Caribbean right next to Jamaica and are still spending stupid amounts of dollas on the Task force with their guns, the court system and jail time for such a useless cause. Im not a weed smoker but if someone wants to sit in their property and smoke themselves to sleep then i say go ahead. Whats ironic is most the cops i speak to who are upholding this law feel the same way. The goverment should be making money off it not spending money to prevent it.

    • Anonymous says:

      08:26 I have said it time and time again, Alcohol is a dangerous drug, not Marajuana.

      For those persons who condems marajuana, my suggestion would be to try it one day before condeming it.  Remember it is a plant, herb made by God, smoked by King Solomon. not a processed drug like alcohol.

      Take a day and spend it drinking alcohol.  Then talk about how depressed, furious and crazy it made you feel , and not leaving out the hangover and swetting, which will make you call in sick from work.

      Take a day and try doing one or two joints of marajuana and feel the difference.  Calm, peace, medation, yes crave a belly of food/rice and beans, a pack of cookies, chips and feeling very good the next day.  You be the judge.

      • Anonymous says:

        everything in moderation….. alcohol in moderation has health benefits…. while smoking weed is worse for your lungs than cigarettes….

        • Anonymous says:

          Please post your source. It’s been scientifically tested and proven repeatedly, cigarettes and alcohol are MORE DANGEROUS than ganja. You can have your opinion but research the facts before spreading propaganda.

          • Anonymous says:

            Marijuana smoke contains three times the amount of tar found in tobacco smoke and 50 percent more carcinogens. There is no filter on spliffs. Use your brain – or was that affected by the marijuana? 

        • Anynomous says:

          16.03  Alcohol in moderation has health benefits ??  What moderation? Two shots of white rum, two glass of wine?  They both turn you over.  YOU ARE SO WRONG TO SUGGEST WEED IS WORSE FOR YOUR HEALTH THAN CIGARETTS.  Smoke a joint and know the difference. Cigaretts are man made.  Weed was planted on this earth by God.

  9. Anonymous says:

    The govt need to legalize it here b make some $$$$$$! This govt can make some serious $$$ if they want to! What is the difference between cigarettes n weed?

    Caymanian

    • Whodatis says:

      The difference is, weed ismuch safer and healthier.

      (So I've heard.)

      However, the truth is that many governments and entities of power (religious / political) realized long ago that marijuana was in essence the tree of knowledge.

      You cannot successfully oppress, trick and control the minds of the conscious and stimulated.

      Hence it is illegal and demonised.

      🙂

      • Anonymous says:

        Like most illegal unregulated enterprises, weed is easily laced with all kinds of things your dealer may also be selling.  Your dealer may tell you romantic tales of its natural leaves and pure cultivation, but the reality is that it probably contains additives procured from his local gas station, or from his spice rack, or maybe something more expensive and addictive in his product line up.  Anyone who thinks weed is 100% pure is naive.  Unless you grew it and packed the joint yourself, best to stay away. 

        • Whodatis says:

          Clearly written by a native of the "first world" most likely raised in a concrete jungle of some sort.

          For example, I know about the indoor, lab-grown, chemically altered "skunk" that has flooded the UK for over a decade now that is rapidly transforming its teens (males and females) and young adults into psychotic, down-trodden zombies … that stuff is to be avoided like the plague.

          There is plenty of "100% pure" weed to be found right here in the Cayman Islands.

          If marijuana is "bad" for you then so is water. Simply due to the fact that God / nature created both in its purest forms.

          (So I've heard, of course.)

          • Anonymous says:

            realiy!!!!!????? can you post a link please so i can verify this for myself.

            • Whodatis says:

              I touched on a number of issues in my post.

              What exactly would you like to verify for yourself?

              • Anonymous says:

                This right here “For example, I know about the indoor, lab-grown, chemically altered “skunk” that has flooded the UK for over a decade now that is rapidly transforming its teens (males and females) and young adults into psychotic, down-trodden zombies … that stuff is to be avoided like the plague.”

                • Whodatis says:

                  Here is a link outlining some of the dangers of "skunk".

                  Unfortunately, skunk is the preferred and most accessible variant of "marijuana" in the UK today.

                  I have seen the faces of British, 20 year old, 5-year long skunk-smokers, and let me tell you, it is not a pretty sight.

          • Anonymous says:

            One day the dealer guy you think is your best buddy will say, “try this”, and pass you rolled joint that smells delicious and you will spark it up like always Only this is not a normal joint, and you are now his junkie. Don’t think this scenario plays out everywhere in the world? Think about that scenario and how your life would change the next time one of your pals passes one around. It happens.

        • Anonymous says:

          10:49, there is nothing better than pure organic home-grown weed. 

          Check this out, put a glass of white rum or whisky to your nose and smell.  The first thing a persondo is make a face, then taking a drink they are mnaking another face.  If alcohol was so nice then why do people make horrible faces when drinking it.

          Ever smelled a fresh bud of weed.   Wow!! just smelling it is a pleasure.  Trust me.

        • The "Honorable" Magic Dragon says:

          Great post; and to your point, this is one more reason to regulate and legalise it.

           

           

        • Anonymous says:

          is it possible that you may be over generalizing? The purity of jamaican ganja imported into cayman is very high outside of the occasional fert that wasn't flushed. the quality is a different story. In the states and england it's common to get laced herb or something sold as herb that isn't necessarily the herb you are looking for. 

          you are right though, grow and smoke your own. 

    • Anonymous says:

      quite simply the difference between cigarettes and ganja is, cigarettes cause cancer, ganja cures certain cancers and treats others as well as easing discomfort associated with conventional treatements such as chemotherapy.

      But you are right, if we beat Jamaica to the punch, our tourism is going to skyrocket and more importantly, local businesses will benefit. for example when i set up my dispensery, my indoor grow room, my kitchen for preparing ganja edibles, i will need to employ electrical, and hvac contracters, land will be purchased or rented etc. This will stimulate the economy in more than one way but most importantly caymanians will finally have a tourism product they can control. i don't know about you but i can't control fish, reefs, sand, etc but i can sure as hell buy a generator, some lights and some soil and grow amazing ganja. Just saying.

      Conversely if Jamaica beats us to the punch and reinvests it's profits wisely, it's going to hurt us. 

  10. Anonymous says:

    Hmmmm, the old testament bible thumpers read Leviticus and think that gays sould be stoned.

     

    I think they need to re-interpret the term "stoned".

  11. Kadafe says:

    It is decriminalized that’s why there is a limit to how much you can posses
    Or grow. And it can only be sold by licensed growers. It is still illegal in federal law meaning the local cops won’t Harras you for under the limit BUT the DEA can bust anyone, even the licensed sellers at anytime. Albeit unlikely….

    • Anonymous says:

      It can’t legally be sold by anone yet

    • Anonymous says:

      Decriminalised means it is still illegal…which is wrong it it legal with limits…you have no idea what you are talking about!

  12. Anonymous says:

    1.  The use of mj is less harmful than alcohol but alcohol is legal in cayman. For instance, you can die from alcohol poisoning, you just can't die from binge smoking. You just fall asleep instead.

    2. Authorities trying to prevent someone from growing a weed is an impossible task.  It grows fast and pretty much anywhere there is sun and water.  It's a weed, afterall.

    3. Inprisoning people for having a toke and spending govt resources to keep them in prison is a waste of public resources.  

    4. The benefits for medicinal purposes are extensive.

    Why are we in Cayman so against this plant?   I say legalize possesion of 15g, regulate the industryand tax it. 

    • Anonymous says:

      Fall asleep and light your house on fire = death

    • Anonymous says:

      16:53 if you sit in a bar or club, and watch the alcohol drinkers you will be amused.  If you stay outside and watch them each one come outside you will be amused.  Inside they make an ass out of them selves, They dance like they have one peg leg, they sing when no music is playing, they look around and watch everyone like they are angry.  They will mistake your woman or man for theirs.  

      They dance when no music is playing.  Stomp feet and holler.  Use the ladies bathroom becuse they cannot find the mens.  Use the mens bathroom because the ladies are full.  Go outside and cannot find their car.  Trys the key in every toyota that is green.  Finally finds their car and gets into the back seat, claiming that someone has stolen the steering wheel.  Finally get home, parks in the garage for two or three hours with the engine running and the lights on bright.   Finally gets inside the house and wakes up everyone. Thats a drinker of alcohol

      The weed man turns the stove off under his dinner, smokes his joint before leaving home.  Go out and buy two beers, holds a corner and drink one, watch  all the alcoholics make a fool of themselves, He enjoys the music,  moves away from the crowd to a secluded bush and burns another spliff.  Then drinks his second beer, exchange a few thoughts with his friends, and at the same time watching the crowd.  Does not eat out.  Goes home because he knows he left a pot of rice and beans and steam fish cooked on the stove.  Eats, smokes another joint and go to bed.  Weed No problem.. 

    • Anonymous says:

      make that 15g an even ounce along with the freedom to grow up to 6 mature plants and keep your full harvest as long as it does not leave the property where it was grown and we have deal. Later on form a board so that medicinal use can be regulated and so that business minded individuals will have the option to be legal ganjapreneurs with option for export. 

  13. Lit a Splift says:

    We need more direct airlift to Washington……… can my weedhead get thru US immigration if I fly direct to Washington?  BTW can I have some government funding to support my lill hobby?

  14. Anonymous says:

    It has been “legalised” ! …not “decriminalised”! Decriminalised means it is still illegal which it is not.

    There is a huge difference between the two.

    • Anonymous says:

      not to mention legalization allows for regulation. for example alcohol is LEGAL allowing it to be regulated and only sold by certain vendors to people over a certain age. if alcohol was simply decriminalized you could go pick your rum off your tree when harvest season rolls around with no regard for the law at all. oh wait, you have to process alcohol before you can attempt to kill yourself with it….but you get the point.

      decriminalization is not what responsible adults want, that will allow minors to consume it with no legal repurcussion, legalization is the way to go.

  15. 49'r says:

    That's what we need here. If rasta man wants to smoke in his backyard and no complaints, why harass em and coop em up in a prison for the taxpayers to pay for his maintenance?  That makes no sense to me. We should be after the hard drugs like cocaine, LSD, et cetera…

    • Ya mon says:

      Den de rasta man can marry de oda rasta man and dey can smokle da ganja togeda.  Ya mon.

    • Slowpoke says:

      I know CNS is going to get sick and tired of me posting the same information BUT, look at Portugal.  They decriminalized everything and are doing very well – 10 years of research…

    • Anonymous says:

      Legalize and tax it all.

    • Puff the Magic Iguana says:

      What is "et cetera"?  Is it any good?  I have tried all the rest and I will try anything once.

  16. Anonymous says:

    and in cayman we can't dance/drink after midnight saturday………….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    • Anonymous!!!:) says:

      Only in Cayman, can a lil spliff get you arrested, thrown in jail, go to court. Then try get a job Aha, got ya. In cayman you can rob your employer of quarter million dollars and have the public stand by you and have a job when when you get out of jail.

      Now the poor Cayman boy that smokes a spliff get it on his record and try get a job, he's told sorry man, can't hire you, you smoke marijuana. What hypocrites.

      I have never took a draw on a spliff in my life, however I would rather that they make it legal and stop destroying the young peoples lives by arresting them anf throwing them in jail and ruin their future.

      Most people that experiment with it grows up and never use it again, granted some go on to make it their life. But its the way our police in Cayman go about it. Its an easy arrest and the lazy asses gloat when they should be trying to get the real criminals.