Earlier this week Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn joined City Attorney Peter Holmes, Council President Richard Conlin and all eight other Council members to sign a letter to the Washington State Senate urging them to adopt SB 5073, the medical marijuana bill. On Thursday the State Senate passed the bill, which is now awaiting Governor Chris Gregoire’s signature.

I am not a drug user and do not recommend it. This weekend five people were gunned down in the tourist town of Acapulco. The United States alone spent over $15 Billion on drug enforcement last year.  This, of course, does not include the millions or billions more spent by state and local governments. Our state and federal governments are running huge deficits.

Is it finally time to legalize marijuana and control (tax) its distribution?  I this the “perfect storm” when many needs are coming together to bring a change that otherwise would never happen?  Would legalizing marijuana result in a dramatic decrease in it’s price (and therefore value), which may result in fewer drug war killings in our country and in Central America?

I wish I knew the answer to these questions, but one thing I know for sure. Now is a great time to consider these questions. Several factors are working together which create and compel our leaders to visit this issue. What do you think?