Medi-Pot Finally Makes it to D.C.

After 12 years of waiting, Washington, D.C. officials have approved a medi-pot measure overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1998.

Congress had blocked implementation of the D.C. medi-mari measure passed by 69% of voters, with an appropriations measure offered by then-Repubican Georgia Rep. Bob Barr that said the District would lose all of its funding if it moved to implement voter will. Three years ago Barr reversed his stance on medi-pot, joining the Marijuana Policy Project to lobby in favor of new pot policies.

Still, it wasn't until last year that Congress moved to repeal the so-called Barr Amendment, allowing the D.C. Council to consider implementation of the law, which they finally did May 4.

The District now joins 14 states that have passed medi-pot laws and currently at least a dozen others are considering such laws, reports the MPP – including South Dakota, where voters will weigh in on the issue in November (not their first go-round there). And it looks like Arizona voters might also see a similar November ballot issue; the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project last month submitted more than 250,000 signatures in favor of placing the measure on the ballot. A poll there last year revealed some 65% of voters are in favor of legal medi-pot.