Should pot be legal?
TRI-CITIES, Wash. - That's the concern many have about Initiative-502, including Lena Cable.
"I think that if we legalize it it's just going to lead to more problems," she said.
Making pot legal to carry has some worried. Initiative 502 would regulate the drug and tax the sale of it. It'd be a money-making venture for Washington, generating new state and local tax money for schools and health care. The State Liquor Board would help authorize sales in the same way it oversees sales of alcohol.
Of everyone KEPR spoke to only one person told me they voted in favor of the initiative. His reason, law enforcement wastes too many resources cracking down on small time pot users. Cops say that's just not the case.
Captain Jim Raymond, Pasco police said, "It's usually an additional charge. Someone gets arrested for crime "A", you know, while they're being booked and they'll find illicit narcotics."
Last year they did. The Metro Drug Task Force took more than 32 pounds of pot off the street worth close to $300,000. They also uncovered eight-thousand plants worth almost $12 million. Each police department in the Tri-Cities reported more than 300 arrests for simple possession.
That number could drop if the initiative passes. People over 21 could legally carry an ounce. Anything more than that is a citation but not an arrest. DUI rules wouldn't change because the law is about driving under the influence of anything that makes you impaired.
None of this sits well with Lena.
She said, "I think you would have more of us sitting here saying along with me and the rest of the parents out here saying I don't think we want marijuana being released here to society where our kids are growing up."
Fearing that it will create new dangers for public safety.
If the initiative passes, it would take up to a year to put a state-run program in place.
The drug would still be illegal on the federal level.
Oregon and Colorado also have ballot measures regarding access to marijuana.
"I think that if we legalize it it's just going to lead to more problems," she said.
Making pot legal to carry has some worried. Initiative 502 would regulate the drug and tax the sale of it. It'd be a money-making venture for Washington, generating new state and local tax money for schools and health care. The State Liquor Board would help authorize sales in the same way it oversees sales of alcohol.
Of everyone KEPR spoke to only one person told me they voted in favor of the initiative. His reason, law enforcement wastes too many resources cracking down on small time pot users. Cops say that's just not the case.
Captain Jim Raymond, Pasco police said, "It's usually an additional charge. Someone gets arrested for crime "A", you know, while they're being booked and they'll find illicit narcotics."
Last year they did. The Metro Drug Task Force took more than 32 pounds of pot off the street worth close to $300,000. They also uncovered eight-thousand plants worth almost $12 million. Each police department in the Tri-Cities reported more than 300 arrests for simple possession.
That number could drop if the initiative passes. People over 21 could legally carry an ounce. Anything more than that is a citation but not an arrest. DUI rules wouldn't change because the law is about driving under the influence of anything that makes you impaired.
None of this sits well with Lena.
She said, "I think you would have more of us sitting here saying along with me and the rest of the parents out here saying I don't think we want marijuana being released here to society where our kids are growing up."
Fearing that it will create new dangers for public safety.
If the initiative passes, it would take up to a year to put a state-run program in place.
The drug would still be illegal on the federal level.
Oregon and Colorado also have ballot measures regarding access to marijuana.
Seems strange to me that the polls show 53%+ of support but this reporter couldn't find one to go on camera?? Smells like bias to me by keprtv; only the negatives were explains but not the good like the fact that Marijuana is ALREADY EVERYWHERE and legalizing it would only help regulate it and not let it get to our kids; why didn't they tell that to the mom who thinks Marijuana is nowhere around her when the truth is it's everywhere. Get a clue and be honest please so we can all move forward as a society.Â
What has been the ramifications in Calif and Oregon with the 1 ounce rule?????Societal laws are created for what is acceptable at that time!!.Gay-Lesbian-transvestite are all now accepatableWash. is usuaually 40 yrs behind times of other states rules and acceptance..The real world is out there not in the bubble that most people want to believe in...As a parent are u better off to teach mom-apple pie and country or what is really out there in the BIG world, giving the kids a realistic view and accessment of what actually transpires.People in there apathy (nobody is comfortable with change) yet it is the most constant thing in the universe, want to look at reality instead of there own convictions....Â