Despite the objections from the members of the US Congress, pot in D.C. is going legal starting 12: 01 am Thursday, February 26, 2015. The top lawyer in the city, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser announced about this legalization of marijuana on national TV on Wednesday, based from the news report of Washingtonpost.com.
According to Mayor Bowser, they believe they have a strong stand about this legalization of marijuana. Voters in DC, the capital of US, overwhelmingly decided since last year that marijuana must become legal for recreational purposes. However, Republican lawmakers were against this will of the Congress, which has responsibility for the district.
As Bowser noted, voters on the capital of US last year awesomely agreed Initiative 71, which allows the deeply Democratic city unite with Alaska, Colorado and Washington state in legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes. In a news conference, Bowser added that their government is well-prepared to enforce and implement Initiative 71 in DC. She has city lawyer General Karl Racine and Police Chief Cathy Lanier on her side about this matter.
These comments of hers came as a response to a caution from top Republicans on the House of Representatives Oversight Committee that legalization of marijuana was unlawful. The latter's Chairman Jason Chaffetz from Utah, and a head of its committee subpanel, Mark Meadows from North Carolina said that a December spending bill had blocked DC from spending funds for the legalization of marijuana or to lessen its penalties.
However, Bowser, together with other DC officials asserts that Initiative 71 was already official even prior to the funds blocking and they now looking forward to its legalization and effectivity at exactly 12:01 am on February 26, 2015, Thursday.
This legalization of marijuana permits adults to acquire up to two ounces (about 56g) of marijuana. Additionally, they are allowed to grow six plants of it with 3 of them mature. Selling is banned but transferring of up to one ounce (around 26g) is permissible, according to Yahoo News.