FOUR YEARS ago Alan Amsterdam co-authored a ballot initiative that made it legal to own, use and grow marijuana in America's capital. As an investor in the dope trade-the aptly-named Mr Amsterdam co-owns Capitol Hemp, a shop that flogs bongs and pipes-he had a strong private motive. The referendum passed, yet it remains illegal to sell weed in Washington. And though marijuana peddlers tend to get around that by overpricing other goods and throwing a pungent-smelling "gift" into the bargain, this requirement remains a serious dampener on Mr Amsterdam's business. Washington is one of the most-visited places in America, he notes with frustration. "A lot of that is kids going to museums...but think what their parents would like to do in the evening!"
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