29 February 2016

Don’t help waltz Mary Jane down the Old Initiative Trail

Several ballot measures addressing marijuana have been approved for signature gathering. CI-115 and I-178 would legalize the recreational use of marijuana under state law. It would, of course, remain illegal under federal law.

I-176 would make drugs that are illegal under federal law illegal under state law.

I’m not signing petitions for any of these ballot measures. I will vote against all that make the ballot. I urge everyone to do the same.

Marijuana should not be a Schedule I drug. But until it’s removed from that status, state legalization can be trumped by federal law. The place for legalization to start is in Congress, not in the legislatures of the states. And certainly not in the polling booths of the states.

It’s time for the people who support legalizing marijuana to dance with candidates for public office instead of trying to legalize Mary Jane by waltzing her down the Old Initiative Trail. Without a friendly legislature, they’ll just get a pro marijuana initiative passed only to have it overturned by the anti-cannabis politicians they’re trying to make an end run around.