Noting the intriguingly unpredictable politics around Washington's marijuana initiative

This New York Times article, headlined "Marijuana Referendum Divides Both Sides," provides an intriguing reports on the political debates in Washington state over its ballot initiative to repeal the state's pot prohibition. Here is how the piece starts:

Most efforts to legalize marijuana possession have generally run aground in the face of unified opposition. Mothers Against Drunk Driving led the charge in helping to defeat a ballot measure in California in 2010. Law enforcement groups, not too surprisingly, have also been largely opposed in the past.

But in Washington State, as a measure that would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana heads toward a vote next month, the opposition forces have been divided, raising hopes by marijuana advocates of a breakthrough. A poll conducted last month by Elway Research showed that 50 percent of voters either definitely or probably were in favor of legalizing the possession of an ounce of marijuana or less.

Some former law enforcement officials have appeared in television ads in favor of the legalization. Safety concerns about drugged driving have been muted by a provision of the measure, called Initiative 502, that would create a standard to measure impairment. A promised flood of tax money to drug and alcohol treatment programs from legal marijuana sales has also kept some antidrug groups on the sidelines.

But if opponents are in disarray or disagreement, supporters of legalization are as well. And that is making the outcome hard to predict, both sides say. In fact, some of the most vehement opposition to the initiative is coming from what might seem the least likely corner of all: medical marijuana users. Organized through a group called No on I-502, they say the plan, especially the new legal standard of impairment while driving, creates a new legal risk for regular users because THC, marijuana’s primary psychoactive ingredient, can stay in the bloodstream for days after consumption, and thus be measurable by a blood test whether a person is impaired or not.

Some recent and older related posts:

• New report from Washington state indicates over 12,000 yearly marijuana arrests over last decade
• "Prominent Republicans in Washington state, Colorado endorse legal pot"
• VP candidate Paul Ryan says states should have right to legalize medical marijuana
• New astute articles on the modern realities of pot politics, policies and practices
• Prominent conservative Tom Tancredo supporting marijuana legalization initiative in Colorado
• "Medical Marijuana in Colorado and the Future of Marijuana Regulation in the United States"