In a country where literally anything is possible, Tuesday was a pretty big day. First of all, Obama was elected president, nipping Mitt Romney in the bud (pun intended). That was a small step forward for America in the fight to legalize medical marijuana.
On Tuesday, the ballot for the legalization of marijuana actually passed in Colorado and Washington state! Marijuana is now penalty-free for recreational use in these states.
Where do we go from here?
It’s Thursday today and the legalization enthusiasm has somewhat diminished. However, that can only mean one thing – a small shit storm is about to begin. Soon, after the legalization news spread around the country, riding that big wave of Obama’s re-election, it was evident that the federal government will not just sit back and light a doobie and just see how things turn out. Kevin Sabet, Obama’s former adviser, said that this is only the beginning of a huge battle for marijuana, a battle that is fully endorsed by the U.S. citizens. Because, lets face it – it wasn’t the politicians who won this time, it was the people. Polls say that 50% of U.S. citizens are in favor of legalizing marijuana, while 46 are against. The other 4% probably just don’t care.
Obama in relation to Marijuana
Now, most people who are against legalization are now wondering how come Obama’s administration could let such a thing slip under the radar. We don’t believe they just let it slide though. Most of those 50% who are in favor of marijuana also seem to be in favor of Obama. It’s a pretty simple yet practical policy – just “keep your voters happy“. Obviously, Obama wouldn’t be doing himself any favors if he went on a public rant about the dangers of marijuana and how he is strictly against it. Nevertheless, this thing will drag on through courts for ages.
Federal Action
The U.S. Department of Justice would really like to do something about this, because they stated how their policy on illegal substances “remains unchanged“. They’re like an angry parent who fails to see their kid is right all along. Because, what they can really do? They could send letters to the dispensaries in those states and warn them not to tax marijuana or implement anything that comes with the ballot. Or, they could keep reviewing the ballot until they pass out. However, that’s all they can really do. They certainly will not be able to make an arrest in those states so if you find yourself in Washington or Colorado and suddenly have a strong urge to light up – you will not have to suffer the consequences this time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfGWyDISmdA
