Chris Gregoire, Washington Governor, Vetoes Critical Parts Of Medical Marijuana Bill

WASHINGTON -- In the wake of conflicting legal opinion, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) on Friday vetoed critical parts of a new medical marijuana bill, citing concerns that state workers could be prosecuted by federal authorities under the law.

"We cannot presume to assure protections to one group of people -- patients, providers and health care professionals -- in a way that subjects another group, Department of Health and Department of Agriculture employees to federal arrest or criminal liability," she said in prepared remarks in Olympia on Friday. "That is not acceptable to me; it is not workable."

The bill, which would legalize, regulate and tax medical marijuana dispensaries, has garnered the support of Seattle's mayor and city councilmembers, even as the state's two U.S. attorneys have warned that state regulators could be subject to criminal charges under the proposed legislation.

In a letter to Gregoire earlier this month, U.S. Attorney Mike Ormsby of Spokane said the bill, if passed, would put state workers issuing licenses at risk of fine or criminal prosecution, but many have said such concerns are unwarranted.

Hugh Spitzer, an associate professor at the University of Washington Law School, wrote in a letter to Gregoire on Thursday that Ormsby's warning amounted to so much "federal bullying," adding that he wasn't aware of a single case in which the federal government had prosecuted a state worker for doing his or her job.

Gregoire's partial veto statement comes just one day after armed officials conducted federal raids on several dispensaries in Spokane.

Washington voters first approved an initiative legalizing marijuana for medical use in 1998. It is one of 15 states where the substance is legal for medicinal purposes.

Comments

[fumes]

09:07 PM on 05/04/2011

Washington Medical Marijuana Patients Protest Federal Raids
By Steve Elliott Monday, May 2, 2011, at 12:20 pm
​A coalition of medical marijuana patients from around Washington state will gather in Seattle and Spokane on Monday to demonstrate against the Obama Administration's use of federal agents to raid medical marijuana dispensaries in the state. According to the activists, the raids are in violation of the Administration's own written policy stating they they would not use federal resources to conduct raids in states with medical marijuana laws.
​"Patients deserve better than to be terrorized by the DEA and Obama's Department of Justice," said Rachel Kurtz, executive director of the Seattle-based Cannabis Defense Coalition.
http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/05/washington_medical_marijuana_patients_protest_fede.php

[Designerherbals]

05:37 PM on 05/04/2011

Meh, that didn't exactly end up being short haha, sorry I tried to condense as much as I could. There is much much more to be said on the issue of corporate greed eroding the state of our democracy and the quality of our lives but this thread isn't really the place for it I don't think.

[Designerherbals]

05:36 PM on 05/04/2011

I'm gonna keep this really short so it will hopefully get posted.

1st off go here and read this story.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/04/exclusive-doj-plan-to-arrest-state-licensers-tax-dispensaries-could-doom-medical-marijuana-industry/

It explains in much greater detail why this veto occurred. The governor is not to be blamed, her fears are not unfounded. As plainly evidenced by the multiple federally sponsored DEA raids on dispensaries in Washington recently.

The DEA has decided they are going to press this issue. They will seek to prosecute and confiscate to fullest extent allowable by the law and honestly probably going far beyond that in many cases. This is eventually going to require a showdown, a confrontation, between the states and our federal government. The Department of Justice's stance on this issue would seem to be in flagrant violation of the 10th amendment of our United States Constitution (States' rights)

2nd for anyone wondering why there is still this completely unnecessary and unfounded reticence to allowing the states and the people to make decisions for themselves on this issue, it just like almost all of our other problems in this country can be traced back to money and to corporations. In short, to greed. Why would the pharmaceutical industry want to allow people to grow in their own homes an INCREDIBLY safe and effective medication when they aren't making a dime off of it..Corporitization of cannabis would be billions in new revenue.

[Kari Green]

01:08 PM on 05/04/2011

Legalizing and taxing marijuana could help Washington State's economy, help the patients that currently are in debilitating pain and help lower other taxes that are hurting the people of WA State and the "working poor." We cannot live in this state without a two-person income, so it's very possible that if there's a tax on marijuana it would help the economy and make this a win-win situation out of passing the bill. It would be another pool of money where there is not one now. This extra pool of money could help the people of WA State, roads, charities, balancing our budget and keeping our people out of pain. Other states may follow and the people that need the plant could grow one or get it at local dispensaries. There is a way to do this and not condemn the people who are actually being helped by the plant. Please legalize marijuana to help the people of WA State.

[leftLibertarian]

07:25 PM on 05/03/2011

Big mommy government in action.

[fumes]

07:30 AM on 05/03/2011

''Gregoire said she is interested in working with other governors to push for a change in federal law to reclassify medical marijuana as a Schedule 2 substance, putting it on par with addictive but accepted drugs such as morphine or oxycodone.''
--------------------------------
morphine or oxycodone???

LOL..

[hairydodger]

11:36 AM on 05/02/2011

Our State congress is now in special session. They have gone into overtime for other reasons but have vowed to rewrite the MM bill into something that the governor can sign. The whole issue came down to this: the bill was designed to have the Health Department and the Department of Agriculture license and regulate the MM business. Issuing the licenses would put the state employees who signed the permits in violation of federal laws regarding trafficking. The Governor couldn't sign that part of the bill as it would open state employees to arrest and prosecution for doing their jobs. And 'yes' we have line item veto in Washington.

[lonewolfwisconsin]

10:27 AM on 05/02/2011

If you click on and read the "partial veto statement", and this story, you'll see the Headline could have read: "Washington Pot Law Passed, partial veto over protection for federal employees"
1.) There is a TV Series about Border Wars over Pot
2.) Upwards of 50% of all Jail & Prison inmates are there for minor marijuanna offenses
3.) The federal government spends $2 Billion every year trying to stop it with absolutely no effect
4.) In areas/Towns/States that have legalized it, a whole neweconomy sprouted, with millions, and even Billions being spread into the local economies.

Ques: Why is it taking so long when we know the positive benefits of legalization?

[Kiffanik]

10:20 AM on 05/02/2011

If alcohol, tobacco, and perscription heroin are legal, what is the big freaking deal? Who OD's on marijuana?

[Oldchef]

10:06 AM on 05/02/2011

Several governors seem to be doing all they can to thwart the intent of medical marijuana legislation, while conservative legislators propose amendments to make it more and more difficult to actually get the drugs to the patients. In some states the afflictions for which use is permitted are beaten down to 4 or 5 life threatening diseases and you must be on the point of death to qualify. In others, it has been recognized that the quality of life can be immensely improved in diseases that may not be end-of-life situations. Some permit growing your own plants, or license professional operations; in others state health departments will be tasked with dispensing. It would be a lot more helpful for patients if the different states' programs were better coordinated, as far as the diseases covered and the dispensing more uniform.

[FiredUpRTG]

09:47 AM on 05/02/2011

Drugs are bad, um-okay?

[lonewolfwisconsin]

10:30 AM on 05/02/2011

Yup,.. they are
1,200 Americans die every day from tobacco, which is legal AND subsidized by tax dollars
440 Americans die every day from alcohol, which is also legal and subsidized
NO ONE has EVER died from Marijuana, most consume on their own living room couch.

Ques #2: So why is it still not legal?

[dennisrs]

12:06 PM on 05/02/2011

No one now you cannot prove that. Surely some stoner have gotten killed from some stupid accident or stunt. Kind of like hold my joint and watch this. But agreed most people I know who use to smoke pot just king of veg out and consume massive amounts of munchie type snacks and gain weight which in the end probably ain't so good for you.
But it is your/our bodies and should be allowed to put in it what we want and the Government should keep out of it.
I a friend of mine said there is some lung disease caused from bong use?? So I wouldn't say it is harmless.

[hairydodger]

11:45 AM on 05/02/2011

There are so many classifications of drugs. Your blanket statement says you didn't give this a lot of thought. Penicillin, aspirin, ibuprofen, Viagra, insulin...... I'm getting bored with responding to your post.

[FiredUpRTG]

12:44 PM on 05/02/2011

Reiteration: Drugs used purposefully only to get high are bad, okay?

To Hairydodger, who responded to facetiousness with facetiousness: I stand by my original statement, which referred to a cartoon character who weakly tell his students about the dangers of drugs, as if they were smart enough to understand.

Didn't think we'd have to spell out everything on this website, but that is why the President had to tell the FOX News table at the correspondent's dinner that the Lion King was not a film about his birth.

[magpie111]

07:55 AM on 05/02/2011

I thought that Obama gave the medicals folks a wink and a nod on this issue?

[against-ignorance]

10:34 PM on 05/01/2011

Lets start showing up at Tea Party rallies and try to get support for legalizing marijuana. After all, they're big fans of 'states rights' and 'limited government'.

[RNP2233]

09:00 AM on 05/02/2011

it was a Democrat- Read and stop being D U M B

[lonewolfwisconsin]

10:32 AM on 05/02/2011

Yes there are... 'Libertarians" who say government cannot tell you what to do and not do....

SO WHY ARE THEY NOT SPEAKING FOR LEGALIZATION????

If they did, they would grab Millions of young voters too.

Ques: So why don't they call for legalization?

[rich07]

01:48 PM on 05/05/2011

Check out the Libertarian Party Message...they don't say it they scream it! RP and Gary Johnson are both advocates for legalization.

[randananda]

09:31 PM on 05/01/2011

How many states must legalize MJ before the Feds wake up and change federal law and stop harassing everyone? Maybe we need about 1,000 lawsuits against federales all hitting at once to get them to back off.

[DevonTexas]

08:02 PM on 05/01/2011

Can you veto "parts of a bill" in Washington? How convenient.

[fumes]

09:52 PM on 05/01/2011

in Wash DC..

one dept can say pot shrinks tumors (NCI)..

while another can say it has no medicinal value whatsoever (DEA).