SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Supreme Court is standing by its decision striking down the state’s drug possession law, as lawmakers rush to address it. The court on Tuesday rejected a request from the state to reconsider its February ruling, in which a 5-4 majority said the law was unconstitutional because it did not require prosecutors to prove that a defendant knowingly or intentionally possessed drugs. The ruling left Washington without a prohibition on possession of small amounts of controlled substances. Lawmakers have been struggling with how to respond. Some want to re-criminalize drug possession, while others hope to use the ruling to adopt an approach that emphasizes treatment, not incarceration.
Justices stand by ruling striking down drug possession law
