# Will marijuana be legalized this fall? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 1, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429 "2012-10-01T22:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/101 "2012-11-07T18:55:17Z")
With regard to immigration, Obama has effectively allowed certain groups temporary amnesty by putting them at the bottom the ICE’s to do list. Might he not behave similarly to allow CO and WA to keep their marijuana laws by putting it at the bottom of the DEA’s to do list? I don’t see a lot of political advantage in Obama cracking down on them. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/102 "2012-11-07T20:07:54Z")
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next few elections cycles. If enough states legalize it, it will be de facto evidence that there will be enough political will for a Constitutional amendment on the topic, bypassing Congress and the Supreme Court. That would be sweet! ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/103 "2012-11-07T20:13:18Z")
Two years ago in California, the opposition asked Eric Holder to help campaign against their measure. He did, appearing in commercials and such. This time Colorado and Washington officials asked him to do it again, but he took a pass. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/104 "2012-11-07T22:58:09Z")
Good news for Mexico. Washington & Colorado’s legalization of marijuana is expected to make a major dent in the Mexican drug cartels’ 6 billion dollar/year illegal pot trafficking business. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/105 "2012-11-07T23:21:44Z")
Bets that local cops in the surrounding states make up every possible excuse to stop out-of-state vehicles entering their states from WA and CO. “We smelled marijuana. Can we search your car? (If not, we’ll impound it overnight and have a dog look at it tomorrow, so we advise you to step back and let us search, because we’re going to do it anyway)” ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/106 "2012-11-07T23:29:29Z")
One of my coworkers is already planning to get into farming. He figures he can retire from this job and grow pot full time in a couple of years. I’m not so confident that things will change that much that quickly. But we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/107 "2012-11-07T23:30:17Z")
Arkansas lost their attempt at Medical marijuana. However, the vote was reasonably close. I think it will be back on the ballot in a few years. It took several tries to get the state lottery. I’m thinking that Obama will continue keeping the Justice Dept from harassing the state’s legal pot dispensaries? That’s 4 more years for the state programs to get established without Federal Marshals kicking in the doors. ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/108 "2012-11-07T23:31:30Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next few elections cycles. If enough states legalize it, it will be de facto evidence that there will be enough political will for a Constitutional amendment on the topic, bypassing Congress and the Supreme Court. That would be sweet! I find it unlikely in the extreme that marijuana legalization will be the first Amendment enacted “bypassing” Congress. It is technically possible, but has never been done and would take so much political energy that Congress would have reacted to the sea change long before it came to a Constitutional Convention. That said, I’m all for it, one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/109 "2012-11-07T23:44:25Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I would like to see some discussion on this. I’ve always assumed (I know, I know) that if marijuana were legal that I would be able to buy it all rolled up for me just like cigarettes. One of my biggest problems with marijuana is I always get something different from it.\* One time I was so hungry that I ate until my stomach hurt but was still hungry. Another time I just giggled like an idiot at a sitcom that was surely not as funny as it seemed at the time. Other times I’ve gotten paranoid. I’d like to know exactly what I’m getting. > > So, would Phillip Morris or other tobacco companies (that already have the tools to roll and package them) get into the business? > > And I can start another thread if y’all think that this question deserves it. > \*(The other is that I don’t know how to roll a joint). You might find this[Alternet article](http://www.alternet.org/drugs/those-pungent-smells-oozing-out-marijuana-buds-are-actually-giving-you-clues-about-what-their) relevant to your interests. This is another argument against the tobacco companies taking over pot production–they just don’t know the genetics like the artisanal growers who’ve been crossing and encouraging strains for specific effects for decades. ---
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/110 "2012-11-10T15:27:23Z")
Maybe I should start a new thread in GQ for this but I am wondering about some things regarding federal enforcement of laws in opposition to the new state constitutional amendment in Colorado, where I live. It seems obvious to me that the feds could easily come in and prosecute pot sops and commercial growers. They haven’t done that a whole lot with the MMJ shops here. They did send letters to a bunch of them that were within 1000 ft of schools and told them to move or be shut down. As far as I know they all complied and nothing happened. I don’t think our governor state or attorney general is at all pleased with the new amendment but they have said publicly they will fulfill their duties. My questions are: Can local DAs charge people with federal crimes? Can local and state law enforcement assist federal law enforcement in actions to enforce federal law that is in direct opposition to the state constitution? In other words would it be legal for the Colorado attorney general to provide state troopers to the feds to help raid a pot shop? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/111 "2012-11-10T15:57:57Z")
Here’s what the [Seattle PD is saying about the new law](http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2012/11/09/marijwhatnow-a-guide-to-legal-marijuana-use-in-seattle/) and what they think it will mean as far as they’re concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/112 "2012-11-10T16:03:18Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > This is another argument against the tobacco companies taking over pot production–they just don’t know the genetics like the artisanal growers who’ve been crossing and encouraging strains for specific effects for decades. Like they couldn’t just hire a bunch of them? :dubious: “Director of Marijuana Genetics at Phillip-Morris” 😃_Interesting job title you got there, Bob!_ ---
**Author:** ![Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/section_maker_jupe/32/1424_2.png) [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Section_Maker_Jupe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/113 "2012-11-10T17:16:58Z")
…there is also a movement (case heard in Dist ofColumbia court oct 16 2012) amongst some of the medical community to try and get the Feds to reschedule marijuana, which might help the legalization efforts. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429/114 "2012-11-10T17:24:00Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Here’s what the [Seattle PD is saying about the new law](http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2012/11/09/marijwhatnow-a-guide-to-legal-marijuana-use-in-seattle/) and what they think it will mean as far as they’re concerned. The video clip at the bottom of that page amuses me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-marijuana-be-legalized-this-fall/636429.md?page=5)