Well, now, this is cute.



A big thank you to Pete Guither over at DrugWarRant.com for providing a link to this.

As cynical as the argument that we shouldn't have "one more mind-altering substance" (it's here already and widely used, legal or not) out there makes me, I do see a bright spot or two here.

Well, sort of.

Kerlikowske is a former Seattle Chief of Police, and not in any "ancient history" kind of way, thus a man whose attitudes might be taken as representative of the harder-line local attitude. He opposed a ballot initiative making marijuana enforcement a "lowest priority" matter in Seattle, and he obviously opposes legalization now.

What I find interesting about him and his stance is that he, a career law-enforcement officer, is saying that the War on Drugs is over, and has been since 2009. I think a few Republican politicians, not to mention a few law enforcement officers, might disagree with him on that, but at least somebody mainstream in the other Washington is taking the idea that drug abuse is a medical condition to be treated rather than a criminal problem to be incarcerated seriously.

Then again, he's also signaled the likely federal response to state legalization. Note that while suing over simple legalization may be on shaky legal ground, it's quite likely that WA selling pot out of state liquor stores would be fit matter for a suit to force WA to comply with federal law under the Supremacy Clause.

Fun.