Legal marijuana aboard boats in WA State

I have no dog in this fight, so to speak, however I anticipate that the Federal law will be vacated by the Supremes at some point just as laws against alcohol were. The Constitution does not give the Fed's the right to prohibit pot either. That would be something left to the States to determine. But who knows how long that will take. Plus, they supported Kelo, so who knows what will happen ... .

jahillsr said:

I have no dog in this fight, so to speak, however I anticipate that the Federal law will be vacated by the Supremes at some point just as laws against alcohol were. The Constitution does not give the Fed's the right to prohibit pot either. That would be something left to the States to determine. But who knows how long that will take. Plus, they supported Kelo, so who knows what will happen ... .

Click to expand...

My understanding of prohibition is that it was enacted via the 18th amendment and repealed by the 21st amendment. Please correct me where I'm wrong, but the supreme court did not vacate the nationwide laws against alcohol.

The constitution gives the federal government the right to regulate interstate commerce, and since prior to the "home grown" advances in marijuana cultivation almost all marijuana was imported, it seems that they (the federal government) can show a interstate commerce aspect to marijuana.

BTW, to stay on topic, I'd like to be there when you tell a armed member of a USCG boarding party that they have no right to bust you for pot on your boat because the constitution says so. I'd venture to say that you'd get to see what the bore of a 870 remington looks like from the business end.

I wonder if USCG enforcement will be predicated by state registration vs. US documention? Down here in the Caribbean, there are no recreational or medical pot legislations. It's all illegal and yet very common. And, as someone pointed out earlier; under the Reagan directive, gave the USCG the right to board your US flag vessel anywhere in the world for any reason! Boardings are common in the island chain and are the subject of a lot of discussion among cruisers. They, (the USCG) board boats from many nations for "routine law enforcement inspection." They bypass normal protocols by having a member or two from the local jurisdictions on board. Thus, the boardings become legal.

Controlling your own vessel is your best defense. I remember years ago when a little old lady, of some 72 years, was asked by the judge how she smoked for all those years without detection.... She replied, "if you don't smoke pot, you don't know anyone who does. But when you do smoke pot, you don't know anyone who doesn't!" Sometimes you just don't know.

Hot off the internet...

So the Seattle Police Department's blog post headlined "Marijwhatnow? A Guide to Legal Marijuana Use In Seattle," definitely got our attention.
Written to help explain what happens now that Washington State voters have approved Initiative 502, which decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana (effective on Dec. 6), the post has a bit of attitude. Some of the Q&As:
"Can I legally carry around an ounce of marijuana?
"According to the recently passed initiative, beginning December 6th, adults over the age of 21 will be able to carry up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use. Please note that the initiative says it "is unlawful to open a package containing marijuana...in view of the general public," so there's that. Also, you probably shouldn't bring pot with you to the federal courthouse (or any other federal property).