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Published: August
23, 2004
Fears About
Seattle Marijuana Initiative Appear
Unfounded
A marijuana
initiative in Seattle, Wash., that makes
possession of the drug a low
law-enforcement priority appears not to
have increased marijuana use, the Seattle
Times reported Aug. 18.
Voters approved
the I-75 ballot item in last September's
election. The measure relaxes enforcement
against adults who possess 40 grams or
less of marijuana for personal use. Backer
said it would allow police and elected
leaders to focus on more serious crimes.
In the first six
months of 2004, the city prosecuted 18
cases of marijuana possession, compared
with 70 cases during the same time period
last year. "I think police received the
message that they are not supposed to
emphasize enforcement," said City Attorney
Tom Carr.
Even though the
number of people prosecuted for possession
has significantly declined, there is no
evidence that marijuana consumption has
increased. "The early indication is that
I-75 has been highly effective," said
Dominic Holden, a member of the
city-sanctioned Marijuana Policy Review
Panel, which created the initiative. "That
seems the only way you could explain the
drastic reduction in cases."
Although Carr was
concerned that the initiative would
encourage increased marijuana use among
teenagers, he acknowledged that it hasn't
happened. "I'm glad I was wrong," he said.
"There is nothing to suggest I-75 has
caused widespread use of marijuana in
Seattle."
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