Two years ago, the State Supreme Court essentially made drug possession legal in Washington State; in the Blake Decision, the court struck down as unconstitutional the long-standing state law that had made illegal drug possession a felony. As a stopgap measure, lawmakers and the governor approved a measure making drug possession a misdemeanor on the third violation, with officers supposed to present treatment options the first two times. But that law, which was never meant to be permanent, sunsets in July, and the legislature is tasked with coming up with a more permanent replacement. But that's turning out to be easier said than done, according to 12th District State Senator Brad Hawkins:
Hawkins says he's not sure if possession should be a gross misdemeanor or a felony, but he says something has to be done, with drug use on the rise in Washington state.