In a few days, Oregonians who feel it is high time to get high, need only take a quick trip across the Columbia.

While Oregon voters rejected a measure to legalize marijuana, voters to the north approved Initiative 502 last month, legalizing the possession of small amounts of pot. There's still a lot up in the air. Guidelines need to be created to regulate the production and sales of marijuana – and the state is still waiting on a response from the federal government.

To help you sort through the ins and outs of the new law, we put together a quick reference guide.

What's the deal with Washington now?

So far, nothing has changed. But as of Thursday, it'll be legal to carry up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use. Still, some restrictions apply – for instance, you won't be able to smoke in public places or anywhere where regular old smoking is banned.

So, as an Oregonian, I'll be able to go up there and smoke?

Yep, so long as you follow the rules about where – again it should be a private space that allows smoking.

Will I be able to pick some up at a corner store?

Not yet. While it's legal to possess up to an ounce, technically stores can't sell it and folks can't buy it. The law gives the Washington State Liquor Control Board another year to come up with rules for selling and distributing pot.

State officials estimate they could have 328 stores – the number of liquor stores the state operated back when it was in that business – as a very tentative starting point. The liquor control board also estimates needing 40 additional staffers to deal with the new product.

Wait, so I can have up to an ounce and I can smoke it – but it's illegal to buy or sell it?

Unless you're talking medical marijuana, yes. The rules concerning marijuana aren't in place yet, so producing and distributing it is still illegal. Give it a year, though, and there should be some legal way for you to buy – and possibly sell.

If I get my hands on some anyway, can I bring it back to Oregon?

Legally, no. Nothing about the Washington law changes anything in Oregon. It's still against the law to possess pot in Oregon. That said, if you're caught with less than an ounce, it's about the equivalent of a traffic ticket. There's no arrest, you're ticketed and you pay a fine – or if you feel like it, you can take the matter to court.

What if you're caught driving high?

Both Washington and Oregon have laws against driving under the influence – whether that's booze or marijuana or any other substance. In Oregon, if a police officer pulls you over for a traffic offense and suspects you're under the influence to a "perceptible degree" you're subject to a field sobriety test and you risk being arrested. In Washington, the drill is much the same.

Basically, you should treat pot – in either state – like you would alcohol. If you plan on smoking, don't plan on driving. At least not until you've sobered up.

But I heard there was something about blood tests and THC levels in the Washington law. Doesn't that stuff stay in your system forever?

Sort of. The new law establishes a blood-test limit for marijuana, measuring THC –the active ingredient in marijuana. If police suspect you're driving under the influence, they can take you back to a station and get a warrant to draw blood. Now there's a difference between a blood test for THC and the sort of test your employer might ask you take. The level of THC in blood is shown to fall within hours – sort of like alcohol –whereas a urine test can detect THC stored in body fat for longer periods of time, depending on how often a person smokes.

Does this new law mean my friends up in Seattle can grow some plants?

For now, no. That's still an illegal activity – unless they're doing it through the medical marijuana program.

So medical marijuana isn't affected?

Nope, Washington laws regarding medical marijuana remain in place.

What if we go up to Washington and smoke before Thursday?

Well, technically you could be in some trouble. But prosecutors in King County announced that they're dropping nearly 200 misdemeanor cases involving pot possession. The Seattle Police Department has also noted that there's a city ordinance that deems marijuana enforcement the lowest priority.

What about the federal officials?

Federal officials are still trying to determine their response. Marijuana is still a federally banned substance. Washington's outgoing governor, Christine Gregoire, has asked for a timely federal response to the new measure –nobody wants to spend money implementing a law federal officials are going to fight – but so far they're still sorting everything out.

I voted 'yes' for a similar law in Oregon – why didn't it pass?

That's a hard one to answer, with a variety of theories about the wording of the measures and the money raised for their campaigns. One thing that is clear is that legalization supporters in Oregon are watching the two measures that passed in Washington and Colorado. It's hard to imagine you won't have another opportunity to vote on a similar measure in the future.

Sources: Seattle Police Department; Janelle Guthrie, the spokeswoman for Washington's attorney general; The Seattle Times; Pete Simpson, the spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau; USA Today; Brian Smith, spokesman for the Washington State Liquor Control Board

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