Pubdate: Sat, 15 Dec 2012
Source: Pottstown Mercury (PA)
Copyright: 2012 The Mercury, a Journal Register Property
Contact:  http://www.pottstownmercury.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2287
Authors: Manuel Valdes and Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press

POT PROPONENTS HOPEFUL, WARY AFTER OBAMA COMMENTS

SEATTLE - Backers of new laws that legalized marijuana in Washington
and Colorado were cautiously optimistic after President Barack Obama
said Uncle Sam wouldn't pursue pot users in those states.

Following the November votes in Washington and Colorado, the Justice
Department reiterated that marijuana remains illegal under federal
law, but had been vague about what its specific response would be.

In a Barbara Walters interview that aired Friday on ABC, President
Barack Obama said: "It does not make sense from a prioritization point
of view" to focus on drug use in states where it is now legal.

Marijuana activists were relieved at Obama's comments, but still had
questions about how regulation will work. They said even if individual
users aren't charged with crimes, marijuana producers and sellers
could be subject to prosecution, civil forfeiture and other legal roadblocks.

And the president didn't specifically address how the federal
government would respond to state officials in Washington and
Colorado, who under the new laws are now tasked with coming up with
regulations for commercial pot sales.

Obama simply told Walters that going after "recreational users" would
not be a "top priority."

"There's some signal of hope," Alison Holcomb, who led Washington's
legalization drive, said of Obama's statements. "I think it's correct
that we ultimately we need a legislative resolution."

But Tom Angell of the group Marijuana Majority said Obama's comment
don't add anything new. He said the federal government rarely goes
after users and Obama can do more besides passing the responsibility
to Congress. Angell said Obama can use executive power to reclassify
marijuana as a legal drug.

Federal prosecutors haven't generally targeted users in the 18 states
and Washington, D.C. that allow people to use marijuana for medical
reasons. However, federal agents have still cracked down on dozens of
dispensaries in some of those states.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., said Obama's statements weren't
definitive but were encouraging.

"I think the president's comments are a good sign that the federal
government might be willing to work with our state as we work to
develop a new regulatory model for marijuana," she said.

Washington's Governor-elect Jay Inslee said Obama's statement didn't
answer some key questions, but makes for a positive start to state
operations.

Legalization activists in Colorado tried and failed to get the
president to take a stand on the marijuana measure on his many
campaign trips to the ground state.

"Here's the president, an admitted marijuana user in his youth, who's
previously shown strong support for this, and then he didn't want to
touch it because it was such a close race, "said Joe Megyesy, a
spokesman for Colorado marijuana legalization group.

Possession of up to an ounce of marijuana is now legal for adults over
21 in both Washington and Colorado.

Washington's Liquor Control Board, which has been regulating alcohol
for 78 years, has a year to adopt rules for the fledgling pot industry.

Spokesman Mikhail Carpenter said Obama's comments provide
clarification on the issue, but won't change how the board is moving
forward because they are already well into the process.

Carpenter said that the rulemaking process on producer licenses began
last week. Public hearings will start sometime in April.

Colorado's marijuana measure requires lawmakers to allow commercial
pot sales, and a state task force that will begin writing those
regulations meets Monday.

State officials have reached out to the Justice Department seeking
help on regulating a new legal marijuana industry but haven't heard
back.

Marijuana is a crop that can't be insured, and federal drug law
prevents banks from knowingly serving the industry, leaving it a
cash-only business that's difficult to regulate. 
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