Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the drug equation to help alleviate some of the violence wracking their societies. The
White House sent emissaries with a strong message to cool off. Latin American leaders
find themselves between a rock and a hard place when it comes to taking the violence and
money out of their local drug wars. Many observers note that in many ways, current drug
laws are enriching organized crime throughout the world.
Perhaps this might change if some bold American states took the initiative to legalize
marijuana and test the system. Oh, wait…that already happened.
While decriminalization efforts in various European countries have tested the waters, leg-
alization on US soil would be a game-changer worldwide. Like our international neigh-
bors, American drug policy reformers had used loopholes to create provisions for medic-
al marijuana in more than a dozen states. For example, in 2003, my hometown of Seattle
voted to make enforcement of laws against pot smoking the lowest priority for its police
force.
After years of studying this topic, I decided to let my travels inform my actions and
bring a European perspective to the drug policy reform movement in the USA. In 2012,
I co-sponsored Washington State Initiative 502 (or “I-502” for short), a ballot measure to
legalize, regulate, and tax the responsible and recreational use of marijuana among adults.
I-502 would allow adults to buy up to one ounce of marijuana from state-licensed stores
(much like the liquor store model).
