Last Updated June 18, 2004

Medical Marijuana: Washington allows patients to use medical marijuana if they have terminal or debilitating illnesses and documentation from a physician. This law was enacted in November of 1998 after voters passed Measure 692.

Other Recent Drug Reforms: The State of Washington rivals New Mexico in its drug policy reform pace, enacting several reforms since 1996, ranging from legalizing medical marijuana to decriminalizing the sale and possession of syringes.

Most recently, Gov. Gary Locke (D) joined other states in opting out of a federal law that denies food-stamp benefits to convicted drug offenders for life. This reform means Washingtonians with drug felonies are no longer the only group of felons to be denied food stamps.

In 2002, the legislature passed legislation cutting the sentences for various non-violent drug offenses and using the savings (estimated to be $50 million over the next six years ) to fund drug treatment programs. The legislation also implements a new sentencing grid in 2004 that will give judges more sentencing discretion. Supporters included Gov. Locke and Republican King County (Seattle) prosecutor Norm Maleng.

Locke stated when he signed the legislation into law, "For non-violent offenders, treatment works. Investing in treatment will enable us to free up more prison cells for the violent offenders who belong in jail."

Lawmakers in Olympia have considered a bill to restore voting rights to felons, and a lawsuit to do the same is making its way through the state's courts on the grounds that the current policy amounts to racial discrimination. One quarter of Washington’s African-American male population is disenfranchised.

In a further effort to thwart the high rate of incarceration, Seattle voters approved Initiative 75 in September of 2003, making the enforcement of marijuana laws pertaining to adult personal use the lowest enforcement priority for the Seattle Police Department and the Seattle City Attorney. Seattle is the first major U.S. city to pass such an ordinance through the ballot initiative process.

Organizations and Resources in Washington: 

• King County Bar Association Drug Policy Project 
• Sensible Seattle Coalition
• Hemp Net
• American Civil Liberties Union of Washington
• Washington Defender Association
• The Defender Association Racial Disparity Project
• Divison of Alcohol and Substance Abuse of Washington
• King County Public Health
• Criminal Justice Reform Network
• The November Coalition