The Columbian, 29 Jan 2013 – A series of recent letters from cannabis legalization opponents have me scratching my head. In my opinion their arguments are in direct conflict with their intent: reducing juvenile cannabis use. First, their contention is usually that cannabis is a "gateway" drug. This is ludicrous on a number of levels. More studies have discredited this theory than have supported it. There are other issues with it that I can’t delve into here.

Seattle Times, 30 Jan 2013 – Monday night, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn met marijuana entrepreneurs at the Washington Athletic Club. He wished them success. The mood was euphoric. But he and other officials are also sounding notes of caution. The chairman of the Washington State Liquor Control Board, Sharon Foster, promises "lots of controls, regulation and enforcement."

The Tribune-Democrat, 27 Jan 2013 – SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – Will the Marlboro Man light up a joint soon? The states of Washington and Colorado legalized possession of small amounts of recreational marijuana in the November elections, but it is unclear if any cigarette makers plan to supply either market.

The Columbian, 28 Jan 2013 – State Faces Five Unique Challenges As It Goes About Implementing I-502 Passage of Initiative 502 last November created this irony: A 78-year-old state agency is trying to figure out how to do its job.

Seattle Times, 27 Jan 2013 – ‘Startups’ Look for Investor Financing The State Is Ground Zero for a New Industry The elegant Washington Athletic Club (WAC) will host some unlikely guests Monday: pioneering pot entrepreneurs pitching their products to an angel-investor network, the ArcView Group, based in San Francisco.

The Columbian, 25 Jan 2013 – Regarding the Jan. 20 letter from Frank Hoetker "Pot is a gateway drug," I have smoked pot for the last 33 years, since I was 13. I never got into heavier drugs that would eventually kill me, like alcohol, for example.

Seattle Times, 25 Jan 2013 – Crowd Gathers at Seattle Pot Forum Consumption Estimates Are Crucial Factor for State They came in suits and cowboy hats, with cropped gray hair and long ponytails, and they filled one room at Seattle City Hall and spilled into another, about 400 strong.

The Columbian, 23 Jan 2013 – When Sandra S. Bennett finishes reviewing her studies regarding marijuana, (letter to the editor, "Dangers of pot are real," Jan. 19), perhaps she should take a look at available studies regarding the dangers of alcohol and nicotine, both of which are much more dangerous but nonetheless legal nationwide. Education about the potential dangers of any product is fine, and she is entitled to her completely unsupported opinion that "99 percent of advocates … [must be] users" and that it has nothing to do with any medical reason.

Seattle Times, 23 Jan 2013 – But Rule-Making to Continue As State Sets Up Legalization Gov. Jay Inslee said his conversation Tuesday with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder convinced him Washington state should continue making rules for a legal marijuana industry as mandated by voter-approved Initiative 502.

Seattle Times, 22 Jan 2013 – Feds Will Take Action Unless Rules Strong Liquor Control Board Seeking Advice on Regs OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)- Washington state officials are looking to build a strictly regulated marijuana system that could forestall federal concerns about how the drug will be handled once it’s available for public purchase.