Sound Stories. Sound Voices.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
You are on the KUOW archive site. Click here to go to our current site.
Washington became one of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2012. But there are a lot of challenges ahead: the state must set up a licensing system for marijuana growers and sellers, the federal government may mount a challenge, the need to set a new limit on amount of marijuana in the bloodstream for safe driving. And medical marijuana is still in the picture.Over the next several months we will be exploring the issue and tracking the impact of I-502.

Debating I-502: Should Washington State Legalize Marijuana?

Medical marijuana dispensary
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Should marijuana be taxed and regulated in Washington state? Initiative 502 would allow for the sale and possession of marijuana for adults over 21. If voters approve I-502, Washington state would be out front in challenging federal marijuana policy. We discuss legalizing pot with Alison Holcomb of New Approach Washington, Douglas Hiatt of Sensible Washington, former DEA administrator Peter Bensinger and former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper.

Also this hour, performance artist Laurie Anderson. She wrote her latest show (“Dirtday!”) to respond to the national anxiety that grew out of the September 11 attacks, and found she had more in common with politicians than she thought. Laurie Anderson joins us to talk about music, storytelling, the Occupy movement, fear and hope for things to come. Plus, state climatologist Nick Bond joins us with a weekend weather forecast.