On this occasion when Marijuana finally became leagal tonight here in my home state of Washington, I want to express my profound gratitude to my friend Ben Masel for his tireless fight to legalize Marijuana. I also want to thank all his fellow legalization activists. Its been a long time coming.
Photo by navajo
Meteor Blades wrote this about Ben Masel:
R.I.P. Ben Masel
His 35-year-long fight against marijuana laws was nearly legendary in Wisconsin. He was repeatedly arrested for protests and spent time in prison for a cannabis conviction. He was state director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws for six years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and was vice president of the state branch of the organization for nearly a decade before his death.
"I didn't think it would take this long," Masel said about his still-unrealized hope to legalize marijuana.
Here Ben's last Marijuana diary:
Some GOOD NEWS from Congress! Drug Policy
SPD officers ordered not to take action on violations of state marijuana law
The Seattle Police Department e-mailed more than 1,300 of its officers the following message tonight: “Until further notice, officers shall not take any enforcement action — other than to issue a verbal warning — for a violation of I-502.”
I know Ben would have been gratified by tonight's long overdue change in the law. All your hard work bore fruit.