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| Marijuana decriminalised in Washington state | Marijuana decriminalised in Washington state |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Possession of marijuana has become legal in the US state of Washington, a month after voters opted for decriminalisation. | |
| From midnight (08:00 GMT) anyone aged 21 and over was allowed to carry up to 1oz (28.4g) of cannabis, but smoking it in public will remain illegal. | |
| It has been legal for medical use in the state since 1998. | It has been legal for medical use in the state since 1998. |
| A law legalising gay marriage also came into effect in Washington state on Thursday. | |
| On 6 November Washington, Maine and Maryland became the first US states to back same-sex marriage in a popular vote, and Washington is the first of those to enact the law. | |
| The first same-sex weddings in Washington are expected on Sunday. | |
| Gay marriage is permitted in six states, but those laws were passed by legislators or by courts. | |
| Also on 6 November, Washington and Colorado both voted to decriminalise marijuana, which remains illegal under US federal law. | |
| However, there will be nowhere to purchase marijuana legally in Washington for at least another year, | |
| It also remains unclear how federal law enforcement agencies will deal with liberalisation of drug laws in Washington and - eventually - Colorado. | It also remains unclear how federal law enforcement agencies will deal with liberalisation of drug laws in Washington and - eventually - Colorado. |
| Any decision to crack down on states with liberal drug laws could affect Washington's plans to raise tax revenues from a licensed and controlled marijuana market. | Any decision to crack down on states with liberal drug laws could affect Washington's plans to raise tax revenues from a licensed and controlled marijuana market. |
| "We're in uncharted water here," Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said at a news conference on Wednesday. | "We're in uncharted water here," Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said at a news conference on Wednesday. |
| "We've struggled with prohibition for a century," Mr Holmes said, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. | "We've struggled with prohibition for a century," Mr Holmes said, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. |
| "It's going to take some time to substitute a state licensed and regulated system." | "It's going to take some time to substitute a state licensed and regulated system." |
| Backers of the Washington law insist it does not encourage or require anyone to break federal law. | Backers of the Washington law insist it does not encourage or require anyone to break federal law. |
| But a regional federal prosecutor in the state, Jenny Durkan, told the Post-Intelligencer that "growing, selling or possessing any amount of marijuana remains illegal under federal law," no matter what state law comes into effect in Washington. | But a regional federal prosecutor in the state, Jenny Durkan, told the Post-Intelligencer that "growing, selling or possessing any amount of marijuana remains illegal under federal law," no matter what state law comes into effect in Washington. |
| The drug remained in the same category as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, she said, adding that only Congress could change that designation. | The drug remained in the same category as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, she said, adding that only Congress could change that designation. |