Pubdate: Sun, 07 Oct 2012
Source: News Tribune, The (Tacoma, WA)
Copyright: 2012 Tacoma News, Inc.
Contact: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/letters/submit/
Website: http://www.thenewstribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/442
Author: Salvador A. Mungia
Note: Salvador A. Mungia is one of the 10 sponsors of I-502, a former 
president of the Washington State Bar Association and the 
Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, and is in private practice with 
the law firm of Gordon Thomas Honeywell.

SHOULD POT BE LEGAL?

I love the saying: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But there's a 
corresponding maxim: If it's broken, don't be afraid to fix it.

And there's one truth that everyone acknowledges: Our marijuana 
policy is as broken as Humpty Dumpty.

Buying pot is as easy as finding a burger at midnight; you just have 
to know where to go (or so I'm told  I'm not a pot smoker and have 
never been one, making me both one of the best and worst sponsors of 
Initiative 502).

The current policy of attempting to address marijuana usage through 
our criminal justice system is making gangsters obscenely rich, 
costing the lives of thousands of people and sucking up scarce 
resources. Is it time for a change? After a week, is it time to 
change your underwear?

It's time for I-502.

First, I-502 recognizes that, like alcohol prohibition, making people 
who use marijuana criminals, with all the attendant costs to society 
the cost of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, jails, 
etc.  isn't the best use of our ever-shrinking checkbook. Our state 
and local governments don't have money to burn; they are facing more 
cuts than a football team in August.

If we did nothing more than decriminalize the possession of small 
amounts of marijuana, we would take thousands of cases out of the 
criminal justice system each year, freeing those resources for more 
important needs. I'm a believer in getting a bang for my buck; under 
our current policy, we aren't even getting a good fizzle.

Second, I-502 does something the government is great at doing: 
imposing taxes. I know this is shocking, but from the large cartels 
to the street dealer, none of them pay taxes. The Office of Financial 
Management has concluded that taxes will raise $1.9 billion (that's 
no typo, not "million" but "billion") within five years.

Third, I-502 allows the government to do something else it's great at 
doing: regulate the heck out of something. Marijuana will be 
regulated tighter than my brother's belt after Thanksgiving dinner.

You have to be 21 years or older to buy it. You can't buy more than 
an ounce. It can only be sold in state-licensed, stand-alone stores. 
The stores can't advertise and must be at least 1,000 feet from any 
school, park or playground.

If you are driving erratically and have a certain level of active THC 
in your system, then you will be presumed to be driving under the 
influence of marijuana. And for those of you who were hoping that you 
could turn that little patch of lawn into a true "weed" garden, ain't 
gonna happen.

I know there are those of you thinking: What about our youth? But 
that's exactly who we are failing under our current marijuana policy. 
Drug dealers aren't asking for ID. They'll sell the stuff whether 
you're 9 or 90. Youth usage of marijuana has been increasing. We 
don't have effective research or education programs to keep youth 
from using marijuana. I-502 requires that a portion of the tax 
revenues be put to such use.

The Children's Alliance, a Washington group that has 125 
organizations and 9,000 individual members, endorses I-502. Its 
mission is to improve the well-being of children by effecting 
positive changes in public policies, priorities and programs. As they 
put it, they ask the simple question  "Is it good for kids?" They 
answered with a resounding "yes." And so should you.

Is it time for a change? Well, if you like a system that rewards 
criminals; puts millions of dollars into the hands of drug cartels; 
promotes violence, death and corruption; taxes our justice system 
without taxing the producers and users; and, in the end, doesn't stop 
anyone from getting marijuana, then vote no.

But, if you're like I am, and think that it's time to try a new 
approach, then vote yes for I-502.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom