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Subscribe to RSSVoters in Colorado and Washington on Tuesday approved measures allowing adults to use marijuana for any purpose, NBC News projected, marking an historic turning point in the slow-growing acceptance of marijuana usage.
In Massachusetts, voters also approved an initiative allowing people to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, NBC News projected. In Arkansas, a similar initiative failed, according to NBC News projections.
In all, voters in six states were being asked to decide on a wide array of laws around legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes.
In three of those states – Colorado, Oregon and Washington – voters were deciding whether to allow people over 21 to use marijuana for any purpose. In Oregon, NBC News projected that the initiative to legalize marijuana had failed.
In Montana, NBC News projected that voters had approved a plan to to revamp an existing medicinal marijuana law to make it more restrictive.
NBC's Lester Holt takes a look at states where voters approved recreational use of marijuana.
The laws legalizing marijuana for recreational or other purposes could face federal challenges, because marijuana possession is still a federal crime. But so far, the Justice Department has declined to discuss how it might react if the laws pass. Late Tuesday, a spokesman said in an e-mail that they were reviewing the Colorado initiative and had no immediate comment.
Proponents say it’s about time pot was made legal and that it would create new avenues of tax revenue. But opponents say legalization would lead to more drug abuse and concerns about things like driving while impaired.
Opponent Kevin Sabet, a former senior advisor to the Obama administration and an assistant professor at the University of Florida’s college of medicine, said he was expecting legal challenges at the state and federal level.
“This is just the beginning of the legalization conversation, so my advice to people who want to toke up legally or think that they can buy marijuana at a store tomorrow is that we’re a very long way from (that),” Sabet said.
Proponents of the legislation also said they expected some legal wrangling.
“It sets up a clear and obvious challenge with the federal government,” said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, which has fought for years to legalize cannabis.
But proponents also were celebrating what they saw as a turning point in a long-running battle to make marijuana more available to the general public.
“We are reaching a real tipping point with cannabis law reform,” said Steve DeAngelo, a longtime advocate for legalizing marijuana and the director of the nation’s largest medical cannbabis dispensary, Harborside Health Center in Oakland, Calif.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper acknowledged legal challenges but said the state would work to resolve the conflict between federal and state laws.
"It's probably going to pass, but it's still illegal on a federal basis. If we can't make it legal here because of federal laws, we certainly want to decriminialize it,” he told NBC’s Brian Williams.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia already have laws allowing for the medical use of marijuana, according to the National Council of Legislatures.
The initiatives in Washington, Oregon and Colorado would take things one step further, explicitly allowing people to smoke pot for more than just medicinal purposes.
The idea of legalizing marijuana has gained acceptance in recent years. A Gallup poll released in October of 2011 found that 50 percent of Americans now favor legalizing pot. A decade ago, only around 34 percent were in favor. Liberals and adults under 29 are the most likely to approve of legalizing use of the drug.
Here’s a look at the states considering marijuana laws Tuesday.
Arkansas: Voters in Arkansas will consider whether to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.
Colorado: Voters in Colorado are being asked to approve a bill that would allow people 21 and over to possess and use a small amount of marijuana for recreational purposes. A similar measure was defeated in 2006.
Massachusetts: Voters in Massachusetts are being asked to vote on whether it’s OK to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.
Montana: In 2004, voters in Montana approved a law allowing marijuana for medical purposes. Then, in 2011, the legislature approved replacing it with a new, more restrictive one. Voters on Tuesday will decide whether to allow those restrictions to be upheld.
Oregon: Voters in Oregon are being asked to decide whether to legalize marijuana use for people who are 21 years or older, and to tax and regulate it in the same way as alcohol.
Washington: The Washington bill would allow people over age 21 to possess a small amount of pot for personal use.
More election coverage from NBCNews.com:
- Obama wins re-election; Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin prove pivotal
- Democrats gain in Senate with wins in four states
- Rape remarks sink two Republican Senate hopefuls
- In costliest-ever Senate race, Warren beats Brown for Mass. seat
- Republicans to maintain control of House, NBC News projects
- Colorado, Washington approve recreational marijuana use
- In 11 governor races, it's about jobs and taxes
- Majority of voters see American on wrong track
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Sorry Arkansas I live in Texas neither one of our feces kicking States will decriminalize or legalize cannabis to many beer sucking narrow minded Rednecks down here as long as they have a steady flow of their rot-gut Texas Pride their Happy Drink Up Fools your Grave awaits.
Anybody know a good realtor in CO?
I wonder how many more students will start applying for colleges in Colorado and Washington?
Anybody that wants weed now can find it easily, at least now if they go to CO they won't have to worry about being labelled a criminal if caught and wasting their degree due to some BS prohibition. Now we need to work on making it legal for all that would rather use it than harder legal drugs like alcohol.
WHOO!!! Where's my brownie pan? Thank you CO and WA for standing up for the rights of the American people to pursue happiness in their own way.
This is a great way to gain tax revenue and to save the Government money. Now maybe we can stop wasting time on arresting people for something that should be legal ...
Tax it just like alcohol and cigarettes ... Control it just like alcohol and cigarettes ... Have the same restrictions just like alcohol and cigarettes ... And have laws just like alcohol and cigarettes.
Now you can save money by not having the police arrest someone for smoking a joint ... You can have legal farms (thus stopping all of the illegal drug trafficking ... just think of the drug cartels that you will put out of business) ... And think of the taxes that this could generate.
I think it's and awesome idea ...
This is good news.
The biggest opponents to legalizing marijuana:
-Pharmaceutical industry (letting people grow a weed for pain/treatment - no good for them. FDA and trade protectionism on patented chemicals for perpetual treatment - good for them.)
-DEA and local law enforcement (people may suggest that more revenue can be gained from legalization.....but think about the money [and cronyism] that's lost if law enforcement can't seize assets for illegal activities - I know narc cops - they make a killing on the side)
-Black market kingpins and dealers (there are some pi$$ed off people south of the border right now.)
I hope this country can continue making it worse on these pigs. Here's to the people - way to go WA and CO.
I'v noticed no one mentions that pot has been "legal" in alaska for awhile - you would think sarah palin would be alittle more mellow
Did you see the lester holt/brian williams coverage about colorado and washington legalizing pot? That just goes to show you how light hearted marijuana should be taken. They were laughin it up, being all gitty, and crackin jokes about the MJ votes. This is not the first report i have seen were the anchor(s) are joking about and/or down playing the MJ issue. These guys dont get all "funny" about immigration issues, gay marriage, social security, abortion right or other social issues. The use of MJ for medical and/or recreational purpose should be of no concern. The majority of the people in the US know this is true even though some wont come out and say it.
Cannabis has been known to reverse a potential pregnancy if smoked immediately following a legitimate rape.
I've heard if a Gay Man smokes 4 grams of White Widow when he wakes he will be a Heterosexual.
And White Rhino makes you horny.
Captain Chronic makes you adventurous.
Afghan Legend makes you tell long, funny, war stories.
And I just remembered that tonight is unofficial "ladies night" at the local gentlemen's club. Guess which of the above I recently obtained.
"The majority of the people in the US know this is true even though some wont come out and say it" Because it's TABOO and always will be Narrow Minded people refuse to accept change.
how long before you think I can mail order a legal substance from Co. I mean you can order wiskey from dry places in kentucky
That would be different because it would be crossing state lines making it Federal jurisdiction. Whiskey is not a crime under Federal law, therefore it's not an issue crossing state lines. However, this would fall under Federal territory, should you or someone take it from one state and drive to another that is not legal you would be facing Federal prosecution and might even be charged for trafficking that "federal" illegal substance. SO until it's addressed under Federal laws, that should be a serious concern and warning to those individuals.
As a legalization proponent, I've long recognized that the first couple of places to legalize it will see an increase in certain types of crime, specifically, in the form of people from other states coming there to obtain marijuana and then move it back into their own state, where it can be re-sold at a higher price. There may also be those who travel there just to score, but Colorado and Washington are kind of remote from other major population centers, so it's not like, say Delaware made it legal and they'd be supplying the entire Eastern Seaboard.
Anecdotally, I spoke with a medical grower in California who had an assistant take off with most of one of his crops for North Carolina, where he sold it for 3x what it brought in Cali. The dude paid him back, but the grower was furious, because if the guy had been caught and the grower's name had been brought up, he'd have been looking at federal charges.
The best thing that will come from these laws is it will force a long-overdue discussion at the federal level.
"in the form of people from other states coming there to obtain marijuana and then move it back into their own state, where it can be re-sold at a higher price. There may also be those who travel there just to score,"
LOL are you stoned? Why drive there "to score" when I can drive down the block in any state, city or small town and score? Also what makes you think it will be less expensive? Medical pot cost oddly the same as street pot so no need to travel to CO or WA to "score." heck if they over tax it they may drive out of state to "score." You will not see any increase in crime I guarantee it as the crime is already there in the form of a black market run by criminals that have no issues protecting their profits though violence.
And guess what? You can buy alcohol and take it to Alaska or a dry county and sell it for 5 times as much, you can buy pot in Texas and drive it to NY and make more money on it, the list goes on and on.
I don't see your argument as having any real meaning unless you are saying to legalize and make the prices the same everywhere.
There will always be those that look to do illegal things for profit, even with legal items. This silly prohibition isn't stopping any of what you say is your concerns from happening now or worse with a black market run by Mexican drug Cartels. If all you can come up with is "they may buy it here and drive it home" as the biggest illegal increase in crime I say good!
Cannabis cures cancer! look it up. This is going to save so many lives and so much money. Unless Obama comes in and starts up the war on the cure by busting shops like he did in California.
Remember the controversy over Obama's comment to the Russian diplomat that he'd have more freedom after the election?
He has more freedom in this area, too.
The fact is, quite a few shops in Cali were fronts for organizations who were making big money in a supposedly "nonprofit" field, and engaging in interstate trafficking. For the administration to do nothing would make them look soft on crime.
However, with voters in two states saying that they want this freedom not just for "medicine", but just because they want it, this is going to force the issue. The federal government can't have people in two states openly violating the law, and the fact it's legal will draw people in from other states in an attempt to acquire it.
Either the law is going to have to be enforced...and the Federal government definitely lacks the resources to police up people in possession of a few grams....or the law is going to have to be changed.
We will find out within the next year where Obama really stands on this. If you don't trust him to do the "right thing" as you see it, ask yourself this: Do you think Romney would have been a better choice in that regard? I sure don't.
Amsterdam has no issues with drivers impaired while driving so that fear is almost unfounded. The real fear should be texting while driving. I see people cross the middle line all the time and hear of accidents often. Perhaps, based on their argument, we should ban texting making it illegal then as well. Because if it's legal to text then you just might text and drive as well, So therefore make texting completely illegal for recreational use all the time because you are guilty before you commit the crime here in America, right?
Seriously, look at countries that have it legal and they dont have the issue. Then look at all the accidents from texting while driving and you will see this is all backwards and unfounded.
News Flash - Population of Washington and Colorado Double!
Stores run out of ice cream.
It is the END OF THE WORLD, as predicted.
IT'S THE end of the world as we know it......IT'S THE end of the world as we know it.....IT'S THE end of the world as we know it.......
and I feel FIIIIIIIIIIIIINE :)
Now just need to criminalize the fed....
Congratulations Washington and Colorado. Your efforts alone will cost the mexican cartels roughly 1.8 billion in revenue this upcoming year. May your state coffers overflow with coin, and your trash bins be full of chili-cheese burrito wrappers!
Were on the road the right path at least and people are learning the real reasons of why Nixon placed cannabis was place as a Schedule 1 drug to begin with. No your not going to be having a bunch of pot heads smoking in the drinks.
People need to know that cannabis in many ways acts as a cure-all drug. It doesn't cure all forms of cancer but it does cure some forms and it greatly diminishes the pain. So why shouldn't a patient be allowed to use something that -provides a better life for them. Why should someone be forced to live in pain taking the pharmaceutical medications that doesn't work and at times causes and ads to the problem?
Because Big Pharm Gives Big Dollars to Big Fed.
Big Fed then bestows their Big Blessing upon New Medicines.
Of course New Medicines do NOT cure anything because there is NO PROFIT in a cure, only in the relief of symptoms.
Big Pharm, along with the paper and chemical industry have been the corporate barricades to legalization since the 20's.
How could we possibly consider using a free-growing, worse, free treatment to relieve our symptoms when someone else could be profiting from our misery?
And likewise, how could we threaten a congressional supporter's profits with a cheaper, more economical source of paper pulp and non-petroleum-based oils from which we make things like plastic and paint?
Wow!
from what i know about the washington law ... it will make pot expensive ... it will provide a database of all users... how much they buy...when they buy it.. etc etc. It is not a good law for any medical pot user ... it now forbids them from growing the plant on their own.. they will now be forced to buy it from a store and if caught growing the weed it will be a felony.... GO FIGURE... BIG BUSINESS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT just screwed you in Washington.
Estimates show that marijuana is America’s number one cash crop. However, marijuana remains untaxed. This is a new source of income for our nation, an income we desperately need.
Over 500 of the nation’s top economic professors have shared their opinion in supporting the removing the prohibition and imposing the taxation and regulation of marijuana as a way to slow the federal deficit.
Ending marijuana prohibition would save the US $7.7 BILLION annually. That is nearly as much as Congress’ proposed Budget Control Act. Think of the jobs it would create, the court time I would save and the jail space it would free up for actual criminals.
Sign the petition below. Also, create a group, this will connect every member directly to their elected officials.
The problem is the Feds will most likely do like they do in California, harass the sellers and do everything they can to bankrupt them. The rest of the country will be watching to see what happens in Colorado and Washington. At least we will get some honest information as to whether legalization is good or a disaster. Whether marihuana is legal for recreational use or not keeping hemp products illegal for industrial use is criminal. We have destroyed so much land just for paper that could have so easily been saved by using hemp.
I'm sure hemp will come soon if this goes well.
Hell yeah! Strike one against longstanding corruption, greed and general evil. Note to big pharma, cops, prison unions, big alcohol and tobacco, rehab centers etc: We're not buying the propaganda that you're selling anymore.
No one crafting American laws from scratch purely on a basis of public health would make marijuana illegal while alcohol — much more damaging to society — is legal.
Can anyone come up with any remotely rational and logical arguments against this?
The only reason they were able to outlaw pot is because back then almost nobody knew about it so the cotton/lumber industries were able to spread a huge racism and fear mongering campaign to outlaw hemp. Just like that they banned one of the most uniquely useful and valuable plants in human history all for corporate profits.
Legalizing Marijuana is smart. In Canada when it's used for medical conditions it comes in capsules it's not smoked, and it is controlled. I'm a Nurse and definitely prefer it to some of the other medications we prescribe our patients. So many of the medications that are used for pain cause secondary or sometimes several problems that cause more harm than good. A lot of patients in pain suffer from digestive problems secondary to the being on narcotics and stop eating. When patients are prescribed marijuana after being on hard narcotics for years the positive transformation is very obvious. These patients suddenly put on ten pounds and are stronger and believe it or not their less stoned than they were previously.
The truth is people who are going to use marijuana are going to use it not matter what. Sending people to jail for years and than having tax payers pay the price isn't helping the economy. Also legalizing marijuana doesn't mean selling it on the street is legal. People really need to educate themselves about the what legalizing marijuana means. In Canada the legalizing of marijuana has not changed our society in any way.
Look I won't pretend that mj is completely 100% safe and nonaddictive. There are some health issues from super heavy use and it can be psychologically addictive to some individuals. However in the grand scheme of things it IS safer and healthier than alcohol in most ways and DEFINITELY better than tobacco. So I simply ask this: Why SHOULD it be illegal? If you wanna ban alcohol/tobacco/energy drinks and all other drugs then that's cool, but you can't hypocritically nitpick which ones to ban and which not to.
Look at it like this. What would cause greater long term costs to society? 1-Legalize mj and deal with the moderate/light social costs and health issues while raking in big money from all the industrial/medical/recreational benefits OR 2-Continue fighting this war against a plant which will NEVER EVER be won and continue paying billions per year to ruin lives and lock people up over a freaking plant? People will NEVER quit smoking weed so let's at least mitigate some of the harms, stop ruining lives and make some money/help sick people/benefit from industrial hemp.
Well said!
unbelievable-common sense is almost non-existant regarding this-hope i'm not near any of you who do this while we're driving
You're more likely to get hit by a drunk driver anyway and mj is scientifically proven to be way less impairing to drivers. ALso I'm pretty sure it's STILL illegal to DRIVE STONED.
@Donna
Talk about lacking common sense.
That s such and amazingly weak argument its unbelievable. Do you really think outlawing it as prevented that now? Do you also fight to criminalize alcohol or are you another hypocrite?
I could smoke pot for a week straight and not be as impaired as someone that drinks 3 shots and gets behind the wheel yet every bar in the country has a parking lot, go figure.
The Feds will eventually back off just like they did in Prohibition, this will spread and take over in all but a last few bible belt states and they will eventually have to capitulate for the revenue, just like with the loteries. The will of the people to live free and make their own decisions without government interference has triumphed over oppression and Mary Jane is looking good.
I've known some very smart people who like to smoke it even as adults; it didn't seem to make them less smart. I'm sure it can't be all good for you, but the badness doesn't look compelling enough to be a crime all by itself.