The Columbian, 20 May 2013 – State Has a Long Way to Go in Deciding How Initiative 502 Will Be Implemented Even after 46 pages of initial draft rules were circulated by the state Liquor Control Board on Thursday, the path to marijuana legalization remains fraught with uncertainty. Marijuana sales could begin in Washington in early 2014 and, to its credit, the board has worked rapidly and diligently trying to steer Washington through unprecedented tasks. Staffers have spent eight months studying, deliberating and charting this course after voters approved Initiative 502 last fall. Many of the rules announced last week add bits of clarity to this confusing issue, but as cannabis lobbyist Ezra Eickmeyer was quoted in The News Tribune of Tacoma, "This is when any potential fighting actually begins."
US WA: Pot Rules Taking Shape
Seattle Times, 17 May 2013 – Getting Ready State Officials Give a Taste of What’s To Come by Releasing a Preliminary Draft of the Legal-Marijuana Plan, but Refinements Are Expected Washington residents and out-of-staters could buy an ounce of tested, labeled marijuana, seven days a week, up to 20 hours a day, in state-regulated stores under draft rules for a new legal-pot system released Thursday by the Liquor Control Board.
US WA: Editorial: Reset Wildly Uneven Marijuana Rules
Seattle Times, 14 May 2013 – TAKE a short drive through any corner of Seattle, and count the number of businesses with green crosses on their signs. For the uninitiated, that is the discrete symbol for a marijuana dispensary. But at this point, who isn’t initiated?
US WA: Cannabis Crisis
The Stranger, 15 May 2013 – Medical Pot Purveyors Protest Amendment They Claim Could Put Them Out of Business The state legislature enters a special session this week to finish the work of passing a budget bill. But this year, the nuts-and-bolts legislation has become a flash point for medical marijuana activists, some of whom oppose a budget rider that would regulate medical cannabis through the state liquor board-the same agency already tasked with overseeing the legal recreational pot market created by I-502.
US WA: PUB LTE: Let’s Move Past The Irrational Fear
The Herald, 14 May 2013 – Regarding the letter, "This law will cost us, not benefit us": I think the writer is a man running in fear from something he doesn’t know much about. Almost every statement he made are ones that have been planted in our minds by the political realm who want to control the product to line their greedy pockets. The word marijuana or pot is used to make us think it is something terrible. The item he is talking about is really a free growing herb called Cannabis. I would only suggest to the writer that he go online and read everything about cannabis. It is even mentioned as something "good" in the Bible (see Isaiah 18 4-5). As for Jim Tobler’s letter, "Opt out of robber baron economy," run on the same day as the pot letter, I must say that if my father was alive he would look him up and give him one big hug and a pat on the back for "waking up." Most times we are just sheep and blindly follow or eat what is fed to us. If every citizen looked into what our leaders do to us … well, you know. Good thoughts, Jim.
US WA: Seattle’s Top Cop Joins Rally For Pot Freedom
Seattle Times, 12 May 2013 – Cannabis Freedom March at Westlake Message: Police Make Sure It’s Done Legally In a sign of how far and how fast mainstream attitudes about pot have shifted in Washington state, Seattle’s top cop drew cheers Saturday when he addressed a crowd of several hundred people at the annual Cannabis Freedom March at Westlake Center.
US WA: Pot Grows Leave Huge Carbon Footprint
Seattle Times, 12 May 2013 – Indoor Production Requires Megapower Some Growers Push for Using Sun Instead Marijuana growing is not a green industry.
