In 1998, Washington became one of the first states to recognize marijuana as a legitimate form of medicine. Since then, many more states have followed suit, and recent polls show that a majority of voters in the country see marijuana as having legitimate medical purposes.
However, the medical marijuana system is frequently abused. First started by legalization activists as an intermediate step, medical marijuana isn’t a medicine at all for some people, but merely a doctor-validated excuse to get high. When “doctors” use The Stranger to advertise their willingness to write marijuana prescriptions for a fee, you know something isn’t right.
The Spectator supports I-1068, the proposed initiative to legalize marijuana sale, possession and growing for adults in Washington. It’s already been decriminalized in Seattle and made the lowest police priority, so it makes sense to just drop the bureaucracy surrounding the substance and allow adults to use it with regulations similar to alcohol.
While the bill is still gathering signatures, this is an important issue that deserves attention on the ballot in November. Not only will it allow marijuana users to safely grow their own or buy it without going through risky third parties, it will also allow farmers to cultivate hemp, an extremely versatile, renewable fiber created from the marijuana plant. Hemp can be used to create rope, clothes, food and more.
While the current initiative doesn’t include taxation, and can’t because of the way initiatives work in the state, we hope that eventually marijuana can become a useful source of revenue for Washington and can be enjoyed by adults who wish to use it.
Reach the editorial board at opinion@su-spectator.com
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