[Faline]

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.

At midnight local time (08:00 GMT), a group of largely middle-aged people gathered amid reggae music in the city of Seattle to countdown to the marijuana legalisation taking effect, before sparking up.

The celebration at the Space Needle attraction defied a key provision of the law, which forbids users from smoking the drug outside the privacy of their homes.

But there were mixed messages from officials: hours earlier, Seattle's city attorney issued a warning that pot smoking in public would carry a $100 (£62) fine.

"If drinking in public is disallowed, so is smoking marijuana in public," Pete Holmes said.

However, the Seattle Police Department instructed its officers not to write citations for those smoking in public until further notice, instructing them to give a verbal warning instead.


The law also legalises possession of up to 16oz of solid cannabis-infused goods - such as brownies or cookies - and up to 72oz of weed in liquid form.

Ultimately, marijuana will be legally sold from state-licensed stores, and taxed at 25%.

However, there will be nowhere to purchase marijuana legally in Washington for at least another year, as the state has yet to set up the licensing system.

The Washington law also sets the standard for being charged with marijuana impairment while driving, similar to the blood-alcohol level.

'Uncharted water'
It remains unclear how federal law enforcement agencies will deal with liberalisation of drug laws in Washington and - eventually - Colorado.

Colorado voters approved their own ballot measure in November. It is similar to the Washington law, but goes further by allowing individuals to grow small amounts for themselves.

The Colorado measure goes into effect on 5 January.

Any decision to crack down on states with liberal drug laws could affect Washington's plans to raise tax revenues from the licensed and controlled marijuana market.

Experts believe the taxation could bring the state hundreds of millions of dollars a year in new revenue, but the justice department has not said whether it will sue to block the regulatory schemes.

Backers of the Washington law insist it does not encourage or require anyone to break federal law.

But marijuana remains illegal under US law. That means federal agents can still arrest people for it, and it is banned from federal properties, including military bases and national parks.

A regional federal prosecutor in the state, Jenny Durkan, said in a statement that "growing, selling or possessing any amount of marijuana remains illegal under federal law", no matter what law comes into effect in Washington state.

The drug remained in the same category as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, she said, adding that only Congress could change that designation.

[Kanda444]

i fuckin love my state.

[Oswald2001]

The Feds are dragging their feet because they know that it's going to hard to tax because so many people will be growing their own.

Just legalize it and get it over with.

Prices are obscene. Legality should drop them.

[Kanda444]

Originally Posted by Oswald2001 ↗

The Feds are dragging their feet because they know that it's going to hard to tax because so many people will be growing their own.

Just legalize it and get it over with.

Prices are obscene. Legality should drop them.

they are also dragging their feet because a state just said "fuck you feds and your fucking laws...we're gonna do what we want" and they are unsure of what the next step would be.... they have been very nice to the medical marijuana community here in the past few years and have left enforcement up to local authorities. it will be interesting to see what they do now...

[Spiffyfable]

Now the inner Zombie will come out. It will be just like in the movies... people walking the streets all zonked out.

[Oswald2001]

Originally Posted by Kanda444 ↗

they are also dragging their feet because a state just said "fuck you feds and your fucking laws...we're gonna do what we want" and they are unsure of what the next step would be.... they have been very nice to the medical marijuana community here in the past few years and have left enforcement up to local authorities. it will be interesting to see what they do now...

Very true.

This may shape up to be the strongest Federal Jurisdiction vs. States' Rights cases in the last 100 years.

The intransigence of the Feds on this issue, especially in the face of the evergrowing (no pun intended) numbers of people on the grass roots level is beginning to be shown for what it is. Hubris and insanity.

[Brometheus]

Originally Posted by Kanda444 ↗

i fuckin love my state.

I thought u were from Washington DC not Washington State.. heck.. i thought this shit was going on in DC when i first heard it as well.. what was the other state anyways?

[Kanda444]

Originally Posted by Brometheus ↗

I thought u were from Washington DC not Washington State.. heck.. i thought this shit was going on in DC when i first heard it as well.. what was the other state anyways?

nope, im from Washington State.... the other state to legalize it recreationally was Colorado, though their Governor wasnt pleased about it.

[Kanda444]

Originally Posted by Oswald2001 ↗

Very true.

This may shape up to be the strongest Federal Jurisdiction vs. States' Rights cases in the last 100 years.

The intransigence of the Feds on this issue, especially in the face of the evergrowing (no pun intended) numbers of people on the grass roots level is beginning to be shown for what it is. Hubris and insanity.

exactly!!! Im proud to be from a state that (at least in some situations) sees things from, what i consider, a more rational perspective....but it will be interesting to see how the feds respond and how the state itself manages the new law. It will be time for Washington's state government to show if it's allegiance is toward it's residence or the feds.

[Oswald2001]

California has been essentially like this for many years and then started getting scared by the Feds.

I think support for legalization, or at least decriminalization, continues to grow nationwide.

And not really because of any particular lobby either.

It's just "an idea whose time has come".