In what is likely to be two of the last polls coming out of Washington State prior to Election Day, Initiative 502 to regulate marijuana is still holding strong to the commanding lead it has developed over the past few months. Data released from King 5 and SurveyUSA has I-502 leading among likely Washington voters, 56% stated they would vote yes on the measure with only 37% planning to vote no. There are just 7% still undecided.
Adding credence to the King5 numbers, KCTS9 found that 55.8% of registered voters were supportive of I-502 with only 36.7% opposed. Those numbers held strong when looking at just likely voters as well, who support the marijuana regulation initiative by 55.4% to 37.6%.
Marijuana. Pot. Weed. Medicine.
Whatever you call the plant, Washington DC considers it dangerous and illegal. Laws on the books in Congress – illegal. The executive branch – aggressive about enforcing those laws. The supreme court – in 2005 ruled against the idea of states legalizing for any purpose.
But yet, 17 states have been standing up and defying DC on this issue by legalizing marijuana for limited medicinal purposes. Massachusetts voters are set to become the 18th state as Question 3 should win by a landslide.
If approved, Washington’s I-502 would take it a step further. It would end marijuana prohibition and treat pot in the same manner as alcohol. People would be allowed to grow, produce, sell, buy and consume the plant – in direct defiance to all three branches of the federal government.
Folks 21-and-over would be permitted to purchase cannabis at state licensed stores. All sales would be heavily taxed, but possibly still less expensive and dangerous than sneaking into a dark alley with the local drug dealer.
Support for the recreational marijuana amendment has reportedly gone mainstream in the state, and even garnered approval from two former US Attorneys and the state labor council.
Bottom line? The federal government has no constitutional authority to mandate the purchase of a product. Or, ban the purchase of a product either. I-502 would be a major steps towards returning the power over agricultural regulations where it belongs – with the people of the several states.
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