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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Herb Rothschild: The year in review ... Guest Opinion: Gateway art process failed ... International Peace Day: Ashland Culture of Peace event Monday ... Herb Rothschild: The year in review ... Guest Opinion: Gateway art process failed ... International Peace Day: Ashland Culture of Peace event Monday ... LOCAL TAKE: MARIJUANA What difference will it make if recreational pot use is legalized? Comment By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 17, 2014 at 6:58 PM By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 17, 2014 at 6:58 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Was what CIA did after 9/11 appropriate? • Should tax on market vendors apply retroactively? • What are you doing to get ready for winter? • What's the right amount to tip? • Will plastic bag ban affect you? • Travel expert touts pot legalization • What's your favorite part of Lithia Park? • Are you concerned or doing anything about climate change? » Social News What’s been done in the past? Oregon criminalized marijuana in 1935, then decriminalized personal use in 1973, leaving a small fine. The state has since become one of the prime growing sites in the nation. Voters legalized medical use of marijuana in 1996. A poorly written ballot measure to legalize recreational pot was rejected by voters in 2012, the same year it passed in Washington and Colorado. What’s the situation with pot now? Oregon is in the top 20 percent of pot-using states and the drug is readily available here, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Vast sums are spent prosecuting and imprisoning people for personal pot growing and use, with little effect on diminishing usage rates. The legislature recently approved open retail sale of medical marijuana, but many cities and counties say this contravenes federal law listing pot as a schedule-one drug, in the same category as heroin and other narcotics. Since federal law supersedes state law, many Oregon cities and counties are refusing to allow retail dispensaries for medical marijuana. Ashland and Gold Hill allow it. What’s are the prospects for passage? Polls show voters are “over it” with illegal pot. The ballot measure legalizing it this November is seen as likely to be approved. Recreational use would then be regulated by the state, much the same as alcohol is. We asked Ashlanders: How do you think this will change our society? "I’m from Washington state, where it’s legal. I don’t see much change in our society. The change is that lots of people are lining up to do business like in any grocery or liquor store. Revenue is coming into the state. Distribution isn’t very well set up because it’s so new. As soon as the law passed, they stopped prosecuting people for possession, so it’s a big stress off the system and I imagine they can now deal with more violent felons rather than people who are trying to enjoy themselves." — Robert Schimelpfenig "Recreational use is still illegal in California, but where I live, in Humboldt County, it’s essentially decriminalized. It’s one of the top three industries in our economy. There’s no law enforcement, but you’ll get busted if you have a big grow or look like a cartel. Ounces are viewed as nothing, even if minors have them. They would take beer away from minors but not pot because they see alcohol as linked more with real crime than pot is. Law enforcement is better utilized against real criminal activity. Jails now have room for violent criminals, connected with heroin and meth. No one commits crimes for pot; people just grow their own." — Julie Linn "Passage will be a mixed blessing. It will reduce the number of people in jail and make space for criminals. It gives them (pot users) a more positive future. On the down side, passage may increase the use of this drug and might present a hazard for people doing certain jobs." — Fran Adams "All people should learn to be happy without drugs. That’s the best route. I have many friends who use pot and some are OK, while others are stagnant and doing little with their lives and have many excuses why they’re not doing anything. That’s when marijuana becomes the boss." — Lorenzo SantaBarbara "Passage will be good. Prohibition has never worked. People should have free choice what they do with their lives. “Create no harm” is the good basic rule of life. We must have the freedom to think for ourselves." — Reushan Dalah Till we have no government oversight in our lives, society won’t change for the better. Passing this law won’t change society. It brings new government regulation into our lives and government regulation is just an outmoded idea. — Ulam Alum Photos by John Darling By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 17, 2014 at 6:58 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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