Majority of Americans to Feds: Let the Weed Smokers Be

As the government weighs their options, polls show that Americans are light on marijuana

A day after marijuana became effectively legal in Washington, compelling the Justice Department to consider possible legal action against the state, a new poll announces that a majority of Americans think the federal government should simply back down and let Americans light up and enjoy their new won freedom.

Washington residents lit up Wednesday night as possession of marijuana officially became legal in the state. (Photo: Ted S. Warren/ AP) According to the HuffPost/YouGov poll released Friday, fifty-one percent of Americans support the idea that “in the two states that have legalized marijuana use for adults, the federal government should exempt any adults following state laws from federal drug law enforcement.” Only 30 percent of those polled believe federal enforcement agencies should continue to expend resources in states where voters have approved new rules legalizing recreational use of marijuana.

Poll respondents (pdf) were even more friendly in regards to medical marijuana, with fifty-eight percent favoring exemptions from federal drug laws in those cases, and only 23 percent opposed.

Crowds of pot proponents gathered at midnight Wednesday in downtown Seattle to ring in the enaction of State Initiative 502. The celebration, at least temporarily, disregarded a statement issued earlier that day by US Justice Department attorney in Seattle, Jenny A. Durkan, who reminded Washington residents that the drug remained illegal.

“Regardless of any changes in state law, including the change that will go into effect on December 6 in Washington State, growing, selling or possessing any amount of marijuana remains illegal under federal law,” she said. “The Department of Justice is reviewing the legalization initiatives recently passed in Colorado and Washington State. The department’s responsibility to enforce the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged.”

Durkan’s statement echos media reports that “the Obama administration has been holding high-level meetings since the election to debate the response of federal law enforcement agencies to the decriminalization efforts.”

Full article:  http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/07-2

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