(Washington Gov.) Gregoire expected to veto medical pot bill on Friday

[Newsjock]

Source: Seattle Times

Gov. Chris Gregoire on Friday is expected to veto all or part of a landmark medical-marijuana bill because of federal prosecutors' threat to prosecute state employees who carry it out.

That threat, delivered by the state's two U.S. attorneys earlier this month, has prompted concerns about federal meddling in state policymaking. Legislators, law professors and marijuana activists said Thursday that threat is hollow, and may not be constitutionally legal.

Gregoire has publicly said she will not sign the bill, and has called a news conference for Friday to discuss it.

She has cited a letter by U.S. Attorneys Jenny Durkan of Seattle and Mike Ormsby of Spokane, which said state employees could be held civilly or criminally liable for enforcing the proposed law, which would legalize and regulate medical dispensaries and grow operations for the first time.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014903835_medpot29m.html

[Wilms]

1. Would be nice to know why Obama/Holder are saying one thing and doing another.

Not that it's a surprise.

[No Elephants]

6. Force of habit?

[naaman fletcher]

2. change we can believe in. nt.

[Newest Reality]

3. Now that the government

has admitted that cannabis has medical value, (which it never would before), it becomes a viable target for Big Phrama to capture market in.Pharmaceutical companies don't want to lose out on fat, juicy profits, do they?

Since they are well-represented by the government, (which is also dedicated to their profits) there will be persecution and prosecution of the dispensaries, (and prevention of legalization of medical cannabis) so that Big Pharma can then become the only legal outlet for their own THC products, by prescription. That's already in the works, from what I've read.

Medical Pot is already a big money maker, so one would expect our owner's companies to demand control of the market at this stage.

[tavalon]

7. Yep, just like the GHB lying debacle.

Most dangerous drug on earth until patented.

[Wilms]

8. Doesn't surprise me that Big Pharma is all over it.

Next up, Big Farma. What's Monsanto doin'?

[DCKit]

4. Is she the governor, or the nanny? Jeebus.

Damn poor excuse for not carrying out the will of the people.

[Fuddnik]

5. I guess any excuse will do.

I hope the legislature overrides it.

[ManiacJoe]

9. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

According to radio interviews, a far better version of the bill is coming via the initiative process.