Right now, the bills to legalize marijuana are playing live on TVW and streaming on our web site. And about 1,000 people all over the world are watching.

Here’s a list of the countries of origin of people watching right now, courtesy of our web department:
Australia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Germany, Estonia, France, Ireland, Japan, Korea and, of course, the U.S.

In fact, the number of people watching is about the same as the number who watched Gov. Chris Gregoire’s State of the State address yesterday.

Here’s a screen shot of the map. I will say it looks way more impressive in person, in the TVW web team’s control room.

Tags: marijuana, TVW

Rep. Roger Goodman, one of the prime sponsors of the bill to legalize marijuana, just testified.

“One million students in the U.S. sell marijuana,” he said, adding that it’s easier for students to get than beer. Goodman said legalizing marijuana would mean it’s regulated.

Goodman said he’s on law enforcement’s side on this one. “Law enforcement is not getting the respect that they deserve” because they’re faced with trying to enforce a law that is widely ignored, he said.

“We’ve already given up. We’ve given up control of this market to criminal enterprises,” he said. If lawmakers legalize it, they can regulate it and keep it away from children.

Tags: Goodman, marijuana

Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson is now testifying on the bill to legalize marijuana. She said she initially supported the bill because it would help address the state’s budget problems.

But she also thinks “over the last decade we have wasted scores of taxpayer dollars on investigation, court proceedings and incarceration,” with no significant decrease in marijuana use.

“Legalization brings incredible fiscal benefits,” she said. She said many criminals are behind bars for marijuana-related offenses, and the Liquor Control Board estimates the bill would bring in $300 million per biennium.

To that, the crowd clapped. Rep. Hurst, chairman of the committee, said told them that’s not acceptable behavior in committee.

“I liken our present policy to Prohibition,” she said, “without Prohibition, Al Capone would have faded away,” she said, comparing Capone to Mexican drug rings that import drugs.

“We have no good science that shows that,” she said, of the notion that marijuana is a “gateway drug.”

Tags: Dickerson, marijuana

“By the level of interest, I think that shows that it’s time to have a conversation,” Upthegrove said. He is the sponsor of HB 1177.

He said he’s driven by public safety, responsible spending of taxpayer dollars and family. “Any drug policy measure that moves us in the direction of help and support … to help those loved ones turn their lives around, not only their lives but the lives of their families, is a good thing.”

He said the conflict with federal law wouldn’t be an issue because state and federal laws don’t always have to overlap precisely. He also said he believes that marijuana can be addictive and dangerous, but that drug policy needs to be revamped in a way that addresses addiction and help.

“This bill not only will save money, it will help keep communities safer.”

Tags: marijuana, Upthegrove

The House Public Safety Committee is now live on TVW. They’re discussing bills to legalize marijuana.

Rep. Chris Hurst said the bills were scheduled for executive session — meaning, they were on schedule to be voted on — but that the prime sponsors asked that a vote not happen today. So they’ll vote next Wednesday at the regularly scheduled meeting.

Tune in now to watch.

And here are the bills:
- HB 1177 would make marijuana possession a civil infraction for adults
- While HB 2401 would make marijuana legal. It would be sold in liquor stores. Marijuana farmers would be licensed under the Dept. of Agriculture.

Tags: marijuana

Former lawmaker Toby Nixon just testified on a bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee to decriminalize the possession of marijuana — less than 40 grams, that is.

Here’s the bill. It would charge those under 18 with less than 40 grams with a misdemeanor. Those over 18 with less than 40 grams would face a civil infraction — like a parking ticket — and a fine of $100.

Nixon said, “The most dangerous thing about marijuana is getting arrested for it.” He told committee members that it’s less addictive than caffeine or alcohol.

Sen. Adam Kline said that, in his experience, marijuana is a gateway drug . “I used to grow my own dope, now I brew my own beer,” he said. He was kidding, but when Sen. Pam Roach asked for clarification of whether it was a gateway drug, he said, “It is.”

I’ll have more as I go over the video, which you can find here.

Tags: marijuana