Seattle Attorney Pushes City To Legalize Marijuana

Marijuana use is now legal in Washington, but an attorney for the city of Seattle wants to take pot to a whole new level. Pete Holmes recently introduced a sweeping policy proposal – one that has many Seattle residents shaking their heads in disbelief.

A New “Garden” State?

Holmes shocked many of his peers by calling for a new referendum that would allow Seattle residents to legally grow up to six marijuana plants at home. And he didn’t stop there.

In addition to the massive push for home-grown weed, Holmes also suggested the following in his policy proposal:

• The quick establishment and opening of multiple cannabis vapor lounges throughout the city
• All pot-related business activity will be controlled by the Washington State Liquor Control Board
• Unregulated medical-cannabis dispensaries should be folded into the new state recreational marijuana system
• The establishment of new medical-grade cannabis standards for the state of Washington
• New “medical cannabis consultants” will be licensed by the state
• Any pot with “low psychoactive levels” will be exempt from the state’s marijuana excise tax

Is it all About the Money?

When prompted to explain why he came up with these initiatives and how they could potentially impact the state, Holmes deferred to the bottom-line income potential that weed offers.

“All of these things should lead to a competitive product that meets the need of medical patients as well as the recreational users,” he said. “Usually the simplest solution is the best solution.”

It’s safe to say that, before this lengthy proposal would be passed, it would have to see some significant changes.

Looking at the Proposal’s Potential Effects

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement that “shutting down all collective gardens is not the right solution because it leaves our patients out in the cold.”

Medical marijuana patients in Washington have also expressed concern about combining the recreational and medical marijuana systems. For example, one patient has expressed serious reservations about Holmes’ proposals. Ryme Windham, who uses six different forms of medical marijuana to treat numerous ailments, said that a recreational pot store wouldn’t be able to offer “even 10 percent of what I need” should this proposal pass.

Washington’s Progressive Stance on Weed

Washington has also attempted to become a trailblazer in the marijuana industry, especially in the unique edibles niche.
Last July, a pot-infused coffee named Legal hit the shelves in eight of the state’s 22 recreational marijuana stores. Legal comes in five different flavors and contains 22 milligrams of THC, which founder Adam Stites said is “enough to know that you’re high, but not so much as to overwhelm.”

Each flavor is designed to affect users in a different way. The product description says it provides “an uplifting, euphoric head-high and a gentle body buzz.” Meanwhile, the lemon ginger flavor is summed up in just a few words: “Couch, meet butt.”

As with all marijuana edibles, however, there is considerable and justified concern that the products will fall into the hands of children. Additionally, THC edibles tend to pack a much stronger punch than the ones caused by smoking pot. Overdoses and emergency situations are becoming much more prevalent as the edibles industry expands.

Additional Reading: THC Edibles: Don’t Let Appearances Fool You