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A Cure to the Recession: Pot!

News   December 8, 2009 at 3:18 pm Josh Feit

As we reported in this morning’s Fizz, Seattle state Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson (D-36) is proposing legislation to legalize pot and tax it. (Never mind a booze solution to the recession.)

This afternoon, Rep. Dickerson gave us more details. First of all, she admits that it’s a “fairly dramatic” proposal, and says, “I don’t expect it to pass.”  However—re: the fact that federal law outlaws pot— she says, “I’m happy to start the conversation. If more states start talking about [legalizing marijuana] it will get the attention of Congress.”

MLDRep. Mary Lou Dickerson (D-36, Ballard, Belltown, Magnolia, Queen Anne)

Dickerson wants Washington farmers to grow pot and sell it in our state’s liquor stores. The revenue, she says, will go to pay for drug and alcohol treatment programs (and to cover the WSLCB’s costs for adding the new product to its shelves.) She estimates the revenues from pot sales would be similar to booze sale revenues, which are currently at $330 million.

Rep. Dickerson has five co-sponsors including: Seattle Rep. Scott White (D-46), and Reps. Roger Goodman (D-45) (a longtime drug reform advocate), Dave Upthegrove (D-33), Sherry Appleton (D-23), and Mary Roberts (D-21).




  • SuperSteve

    Thank You Mary Lou!

    It’s time for the hypocrisy to end – pot is no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco, and has legitimate medical uses. It’s time public policy recognized this and treat pot accordingly.

    The more public officials start talking openly about this, the faster we’ll remove the stigma of responsible pot usage.

  • SuperSteve

    Thank You Mary Lou!

    It’s time for the hypocrisy to end – pot is no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco, and has legitimate medical uses. It’s time public policy recognized this and treat pot accordingly.

    The more public officials start talking openly about this, the faster we’ll remove the stigma of responsible pot usage.

  • Meinert

    FINALLY! A politician who says openly what every other Dem is saying secretly. Dems – grow a pair. Support this proposal!

  • Meinert

    FINALLY! A politician who says openly what every other Dem is saying secretly. Dems – grow a pair. Support this proposal!

  • ivan

    Scott White is from the 46th. Other than that, YAY, MARY LOU!

  • ivan

    Scott White is from the 46th. Other than that, YAY, MARY LOU!

  • hmmmm

    Yes, full legalization, please. This will reduce the competition for those unemployed looking for work, and thus inflate the employment figures. The BLS won’t even notice.

    I’ll drop my resume off– after I take this (mid) morning bong hit.

  • hmmmm

    Yes, full legalization, please. This will reduce the competition for those unemployed looking for work, and thus inflate the employment figures. The BLS won’t even notice.

    I’ll drop my resume off– after I take this (mid) morning bong hit.

  • Chris Stefan

    Glad to see Scott up there. Now to see if we can get Phyllis on-board.

    Who knows if we can get enough representatives to support this it might even make it to the floor.

  • Chris Stefan

    Glad to see Scott up there. Now to see if we can get Phyllis on-board.

    Who knows if we can get enough representatives to support this it might even make it to the floor.

  • Michael G

    Booze and pot today. All we need after that is prostitution, and I’ll be set for the remainder of this recession.

  • Michael G

    Booze and pot today. All we need after that is prostitution, and I’ll be set for the remainder of this recession.

  • Brian Apple

    You know, Mary Lou is blind as a bat — maybe she feels by smoking pot she will regain her sight. Good lord people wake up — this will never pass!

  • Brian Apple

    You know, Mary Lou is blind as a bat — maybe she feels by smoking pot she will regain her sight. Good lord people wake up — this will never pass!

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    Uh, you sure the Feds aren’t going to intervene if this is passed? Last I heard, it’s still banned on the Federal level. It’s one thing for the City to decriminalize it through lowering SPD priority, but another entirely to start selling it in stores.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    Uh, you sure the Feds aren’t going to intervene if this is passed? Last I heard, it’s still banned on the Federal level. It’s one thing for the City to decriminalize it through lowering SPD priority, but another entirely to start selling it in stores.

  • http://www.jasonosgood.com/ Jason Osgood

    “Brian Apple” @ 7

    Nice ad hominem attack. Stay classy.

  • http://www.jasonosgood.com Jason Osgood

    “Brian Apple” @ 7

    Nice ad hominem attack. Stay classy.

  • J.R.

    @7: It’ll never pass? A good idea is still a good idea. Cheers for Mary Lou!

  • J.R.

    @7: It’ll never pass? A good idea is still a good idea. Cheers for Mary Lou!

  • Puzzled

    Great idea. Go for it. Pass it. A new day for agriculture in Washington.

    Then DEA can get out of Mexico and come to Washington State, big time. Those federal payroll dollars will also stimulate the economy.

    As in 1776, sometimes the states just have to take the lead, a puff or two ahead of the federal government.

    A hit for sanity in Washington State. Go for it, Mary Lou, and I gave up pot 30 years ago!

  • Puzzled

    Great idea. Go for it. Pass it. A new day for agriculture in Washington.

    Then DEA can get out of Mexico and come to Washington State, big time. Those federal payroll dollars will also stimulate the economy.

    As in 1776, sometimes the states just have to take the lead, a puff or two ahead of the federal government.

    A hit for sanity in Washington State. Go for it, Mary Lou, and I gave up pot 30 years ago!

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    Way to slam the mindlessly fallacious attack while ignoring a tangible argument against it, guys.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    Way to slam the mindlessly fallacious attack while ignoring a tangible argument against it, guys.

  • http://www.joeszilagyi.com/ Joe Szilagyi

    If the state actually goes forward with this–and all else aside, GOOD, because we’ll stop wasting so much state-level money on the war on drugs for harmless potheads, money WA state can’t afford to waste any longer.

  • http://joeszilagyi.com Joe Szilagyi

    If the state actually goes forward with this–and all else aside, GOOD, because we’ll stop wasting so much state-level money on the war on drugs for harmless potheads, money WA state can’t afford to waste any longer.

  • http://www.jasonosgood.com/ Jason Osgood

    Gomez @ 12

    Yes, I ignored your “tangible argument against”. We geeks would call your comment a “concern troll” and I treated it as such.

    States are the laboratories of democracy. This is where is starts.

    I’d love to have the feds step in and hash this out in the courts. What better way to kick start the national dialog on ending the failed War on Drugs (nee Prohibition).

    If we waited for permission from daddy, nothing would ever get done.

    PS- Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson rocks. Review the list of bills she sponsors, every year. She’s fighting the good fight.

  • http://www.jasonosgood.com Jason Osgood

    Gomez @ 12

    Yes, I ignored your “tangible argument against”. We geeks would call your comment a “concern troll” and I treated it as such.

    States are the laboratories of democracy. This is where is starts.

    I’d love to have the feds step in and hash this out in the courts. What better way to kick start the national dialog on ending the failed War on Drugs (nee Prohibition).

    If we waited for permission from daddy, nothing would ever get done.

    PS- Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson rocks. Review the list of bills she sponsors, every year. She’s fighting the good fight.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    14. I wasn’t “trolling”, Osgood. Federal laws banning pot are a legitimate concern. The DEA still enforces them in WA, as several recent pot busts have shown.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    14. I wasn’t “trolling”, Osgood. Federal laws banning pot are a legitimate concern. The DEA still enforces them in WA, as several recent pot busts have shown.

  • http://dfreelon.org/ dfreelon

    @8,

    The Justice Dept. recently issued a memo stating that it would not interfere with state medical-marijuana laws. How they would handle full legalization at the state level obviously remains to be seen, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.

  • http://dfreelon.org dfreelon

    @8,

    The Justice Dept. recently issued a memo stating that it would not interfere with state medical-marijuana laws. How they would handle full legalization at the state level obviously remains to be seen, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.

  • Fotis the Perceiver

    this bill will not pass

    That is because it is NOT Full Legalization.

    Please look up and read BILL 2401

    Handing Cannabis to the BOARD OF ALCOHOL is not the way to go.

    Great start though Rep. Dickerson!

    We the people will come and talk with you about refining it to actually give back freedom!

    Thanks for the start!

    Please go to the OPEN HOUSE ON DEC 16th at 5pm in Queen Anne!

  • Fotis the Perceiver

    this bill will not pass

    That is because it is NOT Full Legalization.

    Please look up and read BILL 2401

    Handing Cannabis to the BOARD OF ALCOHOL is not the way to go.

    Great start though Rep. Dickerson!

    We the people will come and talk with you about refining it to actually give back freedom!

    Thanks for the start!

    Please go to the OPEN HOUSE ON DEC 16th at 5pm in Queen Anne!

  • http://hempfest.org/ Vivian M.

    Brian Apple says:

    “You know, Mary Lou is blind as a bat — maybe she feels by smoking pot she will regain her sight. Good lord people wake up — this will never pass!”

    First off, rotten to the Core Brian cannot resist the temptation to take a dickering pot shot at Mary Lou, proving that he is something that closely follows a donkey, rather than being one himself.

    Furthermore, if I hear one more pathetic naysayer whine “People, this will never pass” I am going to vomit my latte. They said the same thing about the reform of slavery and every bother form of social repression that America has endured.

    If we listened to folks like you, Brian, there would be no gay pride, black history month or celebrations of woman’s rights. Get out of our way or we are going to run folks like you over.

  • http://hempfest.org Vivian M.

    Brian Apple says:

    “You know, Mary Lou is blind as a bat — maybe she feels by smoking pot she will regain her sight. Good lord people wake up — this will never pass!”

    First off, rotten to the Core Brian cannot resist the temptation to take a dickering pot shot at Mary Lou, proving that he is something that closely follows a donkey, rather than being one himself.

    Furthermore, if I hear one more pathetic naysayer whine “People, this will never pass” I am going to vomit my latte. They said the same thing about the reform of slavery and every bother form of social repression that America has endured.

    If we listened to folks like you, Brian, there would be no gay pride, black history month or celebrations of woman’s rights. Get out of our way or we are going to run folks like you over.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    16. Allowing medical marijuana, and vending marijuana publically as we do with alcohol, are far different scopes, and last I checked this proposal has virtually nothing to do with purely medical use of marijuana.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/tag/2009+election Gomez

    16. Allowing medical marijuana, and vending marijuana publically as we do with alcohol, are far different scopes, and last I checked this proposal has virtually nothing to do with purely medical use of marijuana.

  • Sarajane46th

    Taxing marijuana, the state’s second largest crop, is the way to go. Dedicating part of the profits from beer and alcohol, which are twice as addictive as cannabis, to prevention and treatment would prevent the elimination of outpatient treatment for poor people, targeted in the Governor’s budget. Only 9% of people who use cannabis become addicted. Twice as many who drink (beer, wine, spirits) become alcohol dependent, and twice as many as that become addicted to tobacco.

  • Sarajane46th

    Taxing marijuana, the state’s second largest crop, is the way to go. Dedicating part of the profits from beer and alcohol, which are twice as addictive as cannabis, to prevention and treatment would prevent the elimination of outpatient treatment for poor people, targeted in the Governor’s budget. Only 9% of people who use cannabis become addicted. Twice as many who drink (beer, wine, spirits) become alcohol dependent, and twice as many as that become addicted to tobacco.

  • http://hemplobby.org/ Ed S.

    Right-on Vivian, nay sayers are not needed on this side of the debate.

  • http://hemplobby.org Ed S.

    Right-on Vivian, nay sayers are not needed on this side of the debate.

  • http://www.acnetreatments.asia/ | Acneguy

    I think we are also seeing some signs of recovery from the Economic Recession. Of course, we have no idea of how long it will take to completely recover, but some say it’s going to be longer than for the other recessions in decades. I also scanned an article yesterday that said business owners need a new set of tactics to do well during recovery.

  • http://www.acnetreatments.asia | Acneguy

    I think we are also seeing some signs of recovery from the Economic Recession. Of course, we have no idea of how long it will take to completely recover, but some say it’s going to be longer than for the other recessions in decades. I also scanned an article yesterday that said business owners need a new set of tactics to do well during recovery.

  • Dale Jones

    The only think wrong about marijawana is that it is not legal. There is no good reson why a responsible adults cant smoke it if thay see so fit. Why put good people in jail with the same criminals there trying to protect there familys from.Dale Jones Pacific county WA

  • Dale Jones

    The only think wrong about marijawana is that it is not legal. There is no good reson why a responsible adults cant smoke it if thay see so fit. Why put good people in jail with the same criminals there trying to protect there familys from.Dale Jones Pacific county WA