President Barack Obama’s nearly $4 trillion federal budget plan unveiled Monday includes fine print that may have major consequences for marijuana legalization in Washington, D.C.
Obama’s addition of a single word — “federal” — to his budget proposal may thwart congressional Republicans trying to block marijuana legalization in the district, and would allow the city government to move ahead with local laws regulating and taxing recreational pot.
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If Congress doesn’t overturn D.C.’s current pot measure and Obama’s wording remains in the final version of his budget, Washington marijuana legalization could go into effect as early as March. Further city plans to regulate pot sales could begin with legal retail marijuana stores, similar to those already open in Colorado and Washington, opening by the end of the year.
Still, legalization in D.C. faces long odds. Congress has 30 days to review the D.C. Council legalization. Without congressional action, the measure automatically becomes law. That leaves Obama’s proposed budget. His plan needs approval by the Republican-controlled House and Senate.
