Vote yes on I-502 and I'll move here. (Seattle: health insurance, attorney)

[HurricaneDC]

Do the right thing, Washington.

[Seacove]

Did you get some idea we are hurting for more people to move here?

I don't really have an opinion on marijuana, never did drugs of any kind. I think the war on drugs is expensive and I'm not sure it's working. But is marijuana a gateway drug to more dangerous drugs? If someone could tell me it's not, I wouldn't care if marijuana was legal, it's not going to affect me. It would affect me though if legal marijuana leads to more dangerous drugs resulting in increased local crime. The Seattle metro is a pretty safe for a city of its size other than the theft (cars and break-ins) from desperate addicts. I would vote for a two year inpatient rehab instead of jail if we had the money to pay for it but we don't. As for I-502, I wonder how that will turn out since you have a lot of voters like me who are liberal but don't feel they know the ramifications. I have no problem with cancer patients using it, they should do whatever they need to do to get through it.

[Ira500]

There some good reasons to vote for 502, but Hurricane DC's moving here if it passes is not one of them.
People are going to be smoking pot whether it's legal or otherwise, and a whole lot of money has been wasted on this " War on Drugs."
But it's probably only a symbolic vote. Marijuana is still against federal law, and it remains to be seen whether the federal government will allow a state to go against federal law to legalize marijuana for adults, and to control it's distribution, establish driving under the influence standards, etc.
I've known people who smoked pot and never did any other drugs. I've heard that gateway drug argument before and I just don't buy it. The argument is that folks who take meth or crack or heroin started out as marijuana smokers.
But people who drink Jack Daniels started out as milk drinkers.
I'll vote for the initiative, and it's from that belief of mine that people should pretty much be allowed anything they want as long as they're not harming others.
Also on the November ballot will be the gay marriage initiative. If you vote yes, you are affirming the legislature's vote to legalize gay marriage in the State of Washington. Opponents to this gathered enough signatures to force a vote on it.
I see it as a civil rights issue. It's something that voters shouldn't have a choice in. We don't get to vote on keeping slaves, we don't get to vote on rescinding child labor laws or banishing Swedes from the state.
Again, it goes along with my " It's none of my business what people do as long as others aren't harmed by it" philosophy, so I'm voting yes on that one too.
These are not issues that I passionately care about, but I think it would be kind of cool to be the only state in the nation that voted to legalize gay marriage( it's legal in a few states, but either via legislature votes or by court order) and the only state that voted to legalize marijuana. Can't imagine a place like Indiana even considering something like that.

[Hemlock140]

Opponents could use this (first) post as an advertisement against 502.

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Opponents could use this (first) post as an advertisement against 502.

Heh, yeah that's not so great. I'm open to supporting it though. I fully support the gay marriage initiative. It's a civil rights issue - people shouldn't be voting on someone else's marriage.

[Ira500]

The weird thing about 502 is that it's sponsored by former law enforcement bigwigs like the former US Attorney for the state of WA and the former head of the FBI Seattle office, and is supported by the Seattle city prosecutor and the guy likely to be elected King County sheriff. Among the opponents are supporters of legalized marijuana who think the initiative is too restrictive.
So it's kind of like opposite land. Prosecutors and cops pushing for legal marijuana, and marijuana advocates opposing it.

[wutitiz]

I couldn't give a rip if people want to smoke pot, crack, or dried banana peels. But not under ObamaCare where I potentially have to pay for their rehab or respiratory illness. Have my taxes raised to pay for viagra for some guy who has ED due to years of smoking weed??? No thanks.

We can have a free society or welfare state, but not both. Take your pick.

[hamellr]

I agree, I don't want my taxes to go paying for the medical care for someone who couldn't say no to a hamburger! Or the guy who smoked a pack a day. Or the person who put away a fifth of vodka after work.

[Seacove]

If they don't have health insurance, you're already paying.