Wash. pot use starts, Colo. awaits legalization

DENVER (AP) — Recreational marijuana use became legal in Washington state Thursday, but Colorado could have to wait almost a month before the state constitution allows people to legally smoke pot in private.

Colorado's elections chief planned Thursday to certify last month's vote to allow recreational marijuana use. The certification sets up a 30-day window for Gov. John Hickenlooper to declare the amendment part of the state constitution.

Medical marijuana is packaged for sale in 1-gram packages at the Northwest Patient Resource Center medical marijuana dispensary, Wednesday, in Seattle. After voters weighed in on election day, Colorado and Washington became the first states to allow possession of up to 1 ounce of legal pot for recreational use, but they are likely to face resistance from federal regulations.

A spokesman for the governor said Thursday there's no date planned for Hickenlooper to make the declaration. The governor doesn't have veto power of a voter-approved amendment, but state officials may be waiting for a response from the federal government before taking the final stop on marijuana legalization.

The governor's spokesman, Eric Brown, has said Hickenlooper is assembling a task force to examine the marijuana change. Further details weren't available Thursday.

Hickenlooper has until Jan. 5 to declare recreational marijuana part of the constitution. He could make the declaration out of public view at any point until then.

In Washington state, enactment of the marijuana law was set in statute by voters. Marijuana activists celebrated by counting down to midnight outside Seattle's Space Needle and lighting up when the drug became legal. Though public use isn't allowed in Washington, no criminal citations were issued.

Colorado's measure allows adult over 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, or six plants. Public use isn't allowed.

Both states call for regulation of a commercial marijuana industry. So far the federal government has insisted marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but there's been no word of lawsuits or other measures to block legalization in the two states.

"Neither states nor the executive branch can nullify a statute passed by Congress," said a statement issued Wednesday by the Seattle U.S. attorney's office.