Pubdate: Tue, 22 Jul 2014
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2014 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Kris Shoemaker
Note: Kris Shoemaker of Bonney Lake is a combat veteran of the U.S. 
Army who served a tour in Iraq. He is pursuing a master's degree in 
Global Education at Texas A&M University.
Page: A9

LEGALIZATION DID NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SMOKE IN PUBLIC

I AM not a user of nicotine or marijuana. I personally do not care 
whether someone uses these drugs or not. The only thing I care about 
is respect from the smoker to not subject me or my family to the 
secondhand smoke.

Police agencies will not equally enforce the law that prohibits 
marijuana use in public. According to a July 9 KOMO 1000 radio news 
story, a Bellevue Police spokesman said that officers will issue a 
citation to violators whereas a Seattle Police Department spokeswoman 
said that officers will approach the violator and ask the violator to 
"voluntarily comply with the law" and to stop using it in public.

I do not want to walk by or sit next to someone recreationally 
smoking marijuana, or any tobacco product for that matter, and have 
to inhale and smell it. It is not fair to me or anyone who is not a 
user of these products.

Unfortunately, ever since recreational marijuana became legal in the 
state of Washington, there haven't been too many places where I have 
not smelled the stench of marijuana smoke. I am talking about places 
such as Green Lake, Safeco Field, CenturyLink Field and Pike Place Market.

I was at CenturyLink for a motocross event a few months ago and 
walked by what appeared to be a smoking section. As I walked by, I 
about fell over by the strong smell of marijuana. What surprised me 
even more was the two Seattle Police officers standing only a few feet away.

Neither of them took any action toward the recreational users.

 From my understanding, in accordance with Initiative 502, marijuana 
was only legalized for anyone over the age of 21, and it was supposed 
to be consumed in the confinement of someone's residence.

Yet, it seems to me like it is being used more and more publicly by a 
variety of age groups, and now the Seattle Police Department seems to 
be publicly admitting that they will simply ask the violator to 
"voluntarily comply with the law."

I hope the next time I get pulled over for speeding, running a red 
light, making a wrong turn or breaking any law in the City of Seattle 
that the Seattle Police Department offers me the same courtesy.

The law is the law. It is a shame that law enforcement now picks and 
chooses what laws will be enforced and what laws will not. The 
purpose for laws was to govern the people so that we all can 
cohabitate within close quarters of each other.

If I am forced to comply with the laws as a nonsmoker, I hope that 
the Seattle Police Department will enforce the laws on everyone else, 
including recreational marijuana users.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom