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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Marijuana forum When: 7 p.m. Monday Where: Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave. N. The event is free. Online: www.marijuana conversation.org.   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, November 14, 2009 Forum on decriminalizing marijuana set in Edmonds By Jerry Cornfield Herald Writer EDMONDS — Is it time the state lightens up on those caught possessing a little pot? That question will be a topic at a public forum Monday in Edmonds featuring a former U.S. attorney and a Seattle lawmaker who says lesser penalties will save millions of dollars for cash-starved cities, counties and the state. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D- Seattle, has authored legislation making possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana a civil infraction rather than a misdemeanor. Though the bill didn't get far last session, she plans on pushing it hard when the Legislature gets to work in 2010. She will be on a panel with former U.S. Attorney John McKay; former White House adviser Bud Krogh; and Rick Steves, Edmonds travel guru and television host known for his advocacy of changing laws regarding marijuana. “This forum is important to broaden the public discussion” of the issue, said Rep. Mary Helen Roberts, D-Lynnwood, another backer of decriminalizing marijuana use, who will be attending Monday. Legislation introduced by Kohl-Welles passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in February and then stalled. A House version Roberts co-sponsored never received a hearing in that chamber. Under existing law, possessing 40 grams or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. What's proposed would change the law as it pertains to adults, treating violations like a traffic ticket, with a $100 fine. Possessing even a small amount would remain a misdemeanor for juveniles. This legislation is getting talked about among lawmakers seeking ways of cutting costs in the face of a $2 billion hole in the current budget. “It will definitely be debated,” Roberts said. “I don't know if that foretells any change in the law.” A fiscal analysis of the legislation estimated the change would save money now spent on investigating and prosecuting thousands of cases a year. In 2008, there were 5,280 convictions for possession of less than 40 grams of marijuana, according to the state Administrative Office of the Courts. About a third ended up in a courtroom. If none of them had been tried and no one served time, an estimated $11,283,360 would have been saved, the analysis said. The ACLU of Washington is organizing Monday's forum. It is slated to begin at 7 p.m. with the showing of an award-winning video on the history and impact of marijuana laws entitled “Marijuana: It's Time for a Conversation.” “We spend billions every year and arrest hundreds of thousands of Americans simply for possessing marijuana,” said Kathleen Taylor, executive director of the ACLU of Washington. “We need to ask whether our laws are really working. Are they doing more harm than good?” Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Log in or register to post new comment | Log out Decriminalization First off, pot is destructive to the individual and to their families, and to innocents suffering from a user's actions. It has been shown to decrease resistance to suggestions of destructive behavior. That said, It should be decriminalized for several reasons: If you value individual choice, you must allow for a person to make bad decisions. Smoking anything, drinking excessive alcohol, risky sports, unprotected sex, all are examples of bad choices. Yet, FREEDOM is more important than others' imposing restrictions on self-destructive behavior, even if it is for the individual's benefit. It also would reduce overseas criminal drug peddling to the US. Sales should be taxed, just like any other commodity. And the tax money should be spent on drug treatment for those who wise up and want to get off the drugs because of the damage it does to themselves and their families. But getting off won't be done until THEY realise it's time. People should have the right to fail, just as they should have the right to succeed. Randy Dutton | Nov 16, 2009 12:57 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal RE-legalize it already While I applaud those who arranged this debate/ discussion I am sad to see the emphasis being placed on the Financial benefits of lowering the penalties of Cannabis possession. The argument for Cannabis legalization is , as I see it , one of civil rights. I believe it is just plain wrong to criminalize a plant, especially a plant that many find pleasure AND medical use for. To me it is outrageous that in a "FREE" country our government can decide that the plant that I grow and consume for WHATEVER reason is NOT ALLOWED , and the government can take $1000.00 from me ,and my family , and put me in Jail for 90 days, say "goodbye job", and forever after call ME a criminal....this IS NOT the America that I want to be a part of. I appreciate Sen.Kohl-wells,Rep.Roberts and ALL who stand against this injustice , keep up the good work, you have my support and best wishes L. H. | Nov 16, 2009 12:24 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal get real,,,, GET REAL get real, you ridicule Sen.Kohl-Wells and Rick Steves ,because you do not agree with their point of view regarding Cannabis. Let me ask you, have you ever used Cannabis ? my guess is NOT, are you going to the meeting tonight ? probably NOT.. SO, you don't know what the hell you are talking about regarding Cannabis, and you have no intentions of educating yourself. You sound like a true prohibitionist,,GET REAL. L. H. | Nov 16, 2009 12:16 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal It is just a plant like tobacco eh? What are we so afraid of. Plant Medicine - Things that naturally grow in the wild that adults use to enhance their experience of life. No processing, no messing with, it's just a plant and yes, it is about time people understand the "WAR" is never the answer. Nothing like conversation to let get it all out on the table, and thank you Steve for the historical perspective of those who have personal issues that don't belong in public policy. Tis time for change whether you like it or not. Truth always wins out in the end - bring it on! D Barlow | Nov 15, 2009 11:41 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal It is just a plant like tobacco eh? What are we so afraid of. Plant Medicine - Things that naturally grow in the wild that adults use to enhance their experience of life. No processing, no messing with, it's just a plant and yes, it is about time people understand the "WAR" is never the answer. Nothing like conversation to let get it all out on the table, and thank you Steve for the historical perspective of those who have personal issues that don't belong in public policy. Tis time for change whether you like it or not. Truth always wins out in the end - bring it on! D Barlow | Nov 15, 2009 11:40 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Get Real I suspect Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles is experiencing unrealistic euphoria if she thinks her legislation will pass. Maybe it's the result of her partaking in too much medicinal smoking. Of course Rick Steve's will be involved in the discussion. Here's a man who will put his name behind legalizing drugs, but resists having an American flag to support our troops on the street in front of his business. This topic has been presented on/off for over 40 years, and is no closer to acceptance by a realistic public today than in the past. Let's move on! Points Tofacts | Nov 15, 2009 12:12 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) I am so glad that we are finally getting a forum open to discussing all of this! Now is the time to talk about decriminalization, freeing up our jail space, getting responsible use free, and getting back our constitutional right to do as we please in our own homes! I encourage parents and those who have large concerns to come in and talk about it at this forum. If you don't come and have your say at this forum, then you've got no right to ***** later! See you there :) Amused Consensus | Nov 14, 2009 2:57 pm | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Can we please try SANITY instead of the War on Weed? It's very refreshing to see public figures like Rick Steves discuss sane alternatives to Washington's War on Weed. I believe we should name names when it comes to those responsible for Sen. Kohl-Welles' bill dying in committee last year. As in Rep. Chris Hurst (D-Enumclaw), the ex-cop who hates marijuana so much he believes he, rather than the Legislature or the people of Washington, gets to decide whether it is decriminalized or not. Rep. Hurst never scheduled the bill for a public hearing once it reached the House Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness, which he chairs, in February 2009. Constituents of Rep. Hurst, hold him accountable. Tell Chris Hurst to either pass the bill out of committee, or to step aside and let someone who is willing to do their JOB as representative of the people take his place. I also want to thank the members of the State Senate Judiciary Committee who supported the bill. The members of the committee who voted to pass were prime sponsor Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Committee Chair Sen. Adam Kline, Committee Vice Chair Sen. Debbie Regala, and the eloquent, intelligent and articulate Sen. Rodney Tom, all Democrats; and Republican Sen. Bob McCaslin, who bravely crossed party lines to make this a bipartisan effort). On the other hand, Sen. Jim Hargrove and Sen. Pam Roach, along with Sen. Mike Carrell, proved that they don't mind wasting millions of your tax dollars on futile, pointless and cruel marijuana enforcement. Vote these clowns out of office next chance you get. Steve Elliott | Nov 14, 2009 1:35 pm | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Well, if its just about the money... Since when has the ACLU been concerned about saving taxpayers money with bogas law suits? Or clogging the courts with with them. But maybe it is time for another conversation about the decriminalization of some drugs. Perhaps during that conversation someone might mention that recreation doesn't have to mean getting high. But, I will say this much, back in the 60s I found that many more people were willing to share a joint than their other drugs. But then the swine flu and AIDS wasn't an issue. And people tended to drive slower too on pot. Sorry, I know this isn't so funny to a lot of people. But if we make this issue just about saving money, maybe someone should ask how much will we save if we just decriminalize all the drugs? Will the cost of traffic deaths outweigh the cost of going to court? What about road rage about all those slow drivers. Unfortunately, when we pass such laws, we allow the irresponsible people to more easily get into trouble and clog up the courts with drug related issues-if not the drugs themselves. Not everyone will just sit home and get high...but then, maybe some of the more violent ones will be off the streets more. Hey, we're just talking here. But while we're having this conversation, could you please put that out. I'm trying to breath here. Mike Sams | Nov 14, 2009 8:07 am | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal

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