OLYMPIA—The Seattle Times, the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington and the Pacific Northwest, has endorsed Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson’s proposal to legalize and regulate the production, distribution and sale of cannabis in Washington state.
The editorial, The Washington Legislature should legalize marijuana, urged lawmakers to pass Dickerson’s House Bill 1550 because cannabis prohibition has been an expensive and unworkable failure while Washington’s “experience with medical marijuana and Seattle’s tolerance policy suggest that with cannabis, legalization will work — and surprisingly well”
The editorial appeared in the Sunday, February 18, edition of the Times.
“I’m thrilled that the Seattle Times has shown the courage and leadership to endorse saner state policies on cannabis,” said Dickerson (D-Seattle).
The Times editorial noted that—like Dickerson—it had taken a long time for the mainstream newspaper to reach what it described as a “radical, yet commonsensical” editorial position on cannabis.
Prohibition might work in a police state like North Korea, the Times observed: “But in America, prohibition is the pursuit of the impossible” and has imposed huge costs to individuals, law enforcement, taxpayers, society and civil liberties.
Seattle and the state of Washington have historically taken a series of right steps on cannabis and medical marijuana legislation, the Times remarked. “It is time for the next step.”
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