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Main Page MA State Rep. Seeks Decriminalizing Marijuana Possession
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Posted by: fscpd907

BOSTON - Decriminalizing marijuana possession could save the state millions of dollars and decrease racial profiling, advocates told legislators yesterday at a State House hearing.

Legislation, co-sponsored by state Rep. Ruth Balser, D-Newton, would impose a $250 civil fine instead of criminal penalties for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Offenders currently receive a $500 fine, up to six months in jail, and a criminal record.

"People are not going to jail for possessing marijuana, but the commonwealth is using a lot of time and money to arrest people and to prosecute cases in court or settle cases in court," Balser said.

"One thing that happens is that typically young people end up with a criminal record and it really interferes with them moving ahead."

Although no opponents testified against the legislation, lawmakers and supporters have been unable to push it through the Legislature in previous years.

Balser, co-chairwoman of the Joint Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee that is considering the bill, did not want to speculate whether its chances had improved.

"The concern, of course, would be that more people would engage in risky behavior, but what the evidence suggests is that the legal prohibition really isn't stopping marijuana use," Balser said after the hearing. "We should focus more on prevention and treatment and education."

Keith Saunders, president of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, or Masscann, cited a Boston University study that estimates a $24 million annual savings in law enforcement costs.

"The drug war is the civil rights war of our time...this is not a liberal issue," he said. "The only group that is consistently against us is moral conservatives, and they don't have much political power in Massachusetts."

Saunders told legislators the same message he tells his sociology students at UMass-Lowell. "Marijuana is only cool because it's illegal."

According to Masscann's Web site, 9,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession last year.

"Liquor, guns, these things are all legal. Marijuana has not been known to kill a soul," said Paul Thomas Breeden, president of Boston Live Magazine, who read his letter entitled "God Created Marijuana."

(Lindsey Parietti can be reached at lindsey.parietti@cnc.com.)

Posted by: alphadog1

Quote:

fscpd907
BOSTON - Decriminalizing marijuana possession could save the state millions of dollars and decrease racial profiling, advocates told legislators yesterday at a State House hearing.

Once again the reporter and this nitwit state rep. don't explain how this allegedly will save millions of dollars and decrease racial profiling. Unbelievable. We are made out to be the bad guy by the media, instead of asking the shithead why he/she had a bag of weed. And if your a minority, it's racial profiling?? So, I guess when you see a hand to hand or someone smoking a blunt, we should just keep on our merry way because "marijuana has not been known to kill a soul."

Posted by: Irish Wampanoag

Racial profiling What!!! most of the jackasses we arrest for possession are white folks. Last time I checked I was white so I guess I profile against my own.

Posted by: Sgt K

So I guess the good State Rep. has discounted or completely ignored all of the publications and research defining marijuana as a "gateway" drug.
I'll readily concede that not everyone that uses Class "D" ends up at Classes A-C but a few moments of interview time with an incarecerated or long term user of Classes A-C will tell you that they started with Tobacco, Alcohol, and Class D....in that order! Just my .02

Posted by: Loyal

I am anything but a liberal and have never voted for a demorat, but isn't a $250 fine for possessing a small amount of marijauna penalty enough ? Who hasn't dumped it out on someone rather than arrest them ? A "gateway" drug ??!!? Does marijauna cause the use of hard drugs or is that a decision the person makes ? Are we their mommy ? How many marijauna induced disturbances do you respond to ? Not many if you are a typical police officer. Alcohol causes far more problems for police. Lighten up - who really cares if someone smokes a jay in the privacy of their home ? If you care, you need a hobby. If they drive while on pot we have laws already in effect for that. A life long criminal record because you may have got caught on one of the few times you used the stuff is extreme for such a light weight substance. BTW - I don't touch any drugs. $250 is a fair punishment for some one who gets nabbed with it. Most guys I work with dump it rather than arrest for it becauses the punishment effects someone for life. I'm more likely to issue a fine for it, if this proposal passes.

Posted by: Inspector

I stopped dumping marijuana the minute the Kingston case here, in NH,was handed down. While it involved alcohol, minors and cars, cops who dumped beer were found liable as they didn't arrest those kids right away after the kids went back to Mass., bought more beer, and wrapped around a tree with fatal results.In the short run it would appear if you find someone with an intoxicant you now either own them or they can own you.
And yes boys and girls marijuana is an illegal intoxicant and based on all I have observed over many years in should remain illegal.

Posted by: Loyal

Inspector, if you act by issuing a $250.00 fine and then turning the stuff in for evidence and then proper disposal, you've done your job. We are not their Mommy. People can get high on the fumes from whip cream cans, white out, etc... There should be a consequence for having marijuana and a severe consequence for driving under the influence of it... but with all the legal substances that people can huff or drink, you can not keep them from getting high - $250 is a far more reasonable penalty for possessing a small amount of marijuana than whacking someone with a lifelong criminal record.

I bet many people reading this have tried pot at least once; would they now think that a lifelong criminal record is reasonable had they been caught at that time..? I seriously doubt it... Hopefully our kids will never try it, but if they do, I would hate for them to get arrested and face a life long criminal record and loss of a scholarship for something so light weight. Most police dump the stuff because the penalty is too harsh for this victimless offense. If it were only a civil fine, we would probably use that option regularly. Marijauna is what it is.. It is by no means heroin or a "gateway" to heroin use. No more so than having a beer will definately be a gateway to you being a vodka guzzeling, homeless wino. Forget the pop psychology. People are what they are by their own choice.

Posted by: SOT

WTF can't these idiots just move to Vermont or something?
It's simple, pot is ILLEGAL until such time as it is not ILLEGAL, then it should carry the requisite criminal penalties for possession, use, sale, transportation, and distribution.
What most morons don't get about pot:
1. Very few only try pot once.
2. With the increased penalties for alcohol use by minors and adults, pot becomes more attractive ESPECIALLY if you weaken laws that stop its use.
3. It only takes ONE use in combination with driving to ruin lives., the utter bullshit about it being "light weight" and the use of pot being a victimless crime is such total and utter bullshit. I've been down in Mexico on interdiction and seen the killings over pot fields and trade. I've read more times then I care to about people getting high on pot and ending up in MV accidents that led to someones death.
Damn wtf is wrong with people today?

Posted by: Inspector

Loyal, I.m not gonna change your mind and you're certainly not going to change mine. I've been around much too long to not realize the negative impact marijuana use had had on our society. Marijuana is illegal, harmful and those who smoke it cannot will never be hired as law enforcement officers or in any other responsible position (including President) if I have anything to say about it.

Posted by: DTF

I agree with Loyal; and I think pot is a waste of time for LEOs. Alcohol can be a real problem, but there is no question that it is here to stay.
The law has to be enforced while it is there, but I think in a lot of regards LE will be better off if pot is legal.

Posted by: Wolfman

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTF

I think in a lot of regards LE will be better off if pot is legal.

I think you're a 'tard.

Posted by: Delta784

I don't know about anyone else, but I would MUCH rather deal with someone who just smoked a bowl of weed than someone who just blasted down a 12-pack of Natural Ice.

Posted by: Wolfman

I would not want to be the guy standing by the side of the road on a MV stop when either one comes blundering along.

Posted by: Victory

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfman

I would not want to be the guy standing by the side of the road on a MV stop when either one comes blundering along.

The same can be said for any number of perfectly legal prescription drugs.

Posted by: Wolfman

Don't doubt you there, the key word being "legal".

Posted by: 94c

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTF

IThe law has to be enforced while it is there, but I think in a lot of regards LE will be better off if pot is legal.

I have to agree with you there. I could give up details and overtime and work out of my living room.

Just have to figure out the territorial war that will break out in the hood.

Posted by: Oscar8

From what I have experienced, people who smoke pot never get a head....ever. People I grew up with whos parents smoke the sh*t dont own there own homes, drive sh*t box cars and cant hold a job if their life depended on it. They are the most undependable people you can ever deal with and are very sneaky. People who smoke pot are a pain in the ass, never grow up and live a respectful life. If you decide to smoke it, you know the consequences of your actions and you are by all means 100% responsible for giving yourself a "lifelong criminal record"

O-8's 2 cents

Posted by: knapkin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscar8

From what I have experienced, people who smoke pot never get a head....ever. People I grew up with whos parents smoke the sh*t dont own there own homes, drive sh*t box cars and cant hold a job if their life depended on it. They are the most undependable people you can ever deal with and are very sneaky. People who smoke pot are a pain in the ass, never grow up and live a respectful life. If you decide to smoke it, you know the consequences of your actions and you are by all means 100% responsible for giving yourself a "lifelong criminal record"

O-8's 2 cents

Right. And alcoholics are the ones getting ahead in society. Whats wrong with someone who is happy with where they are, and who are you to pass judgements on others? Oh, and I forgot, theres some pretty notable people who smoked pot. Scientist Carl Sagan, Bill Mahr. Bill Gates has even hinted at smoking pot.

Posted by: Wolfman

...and don't forget Bill Clinton! Oh, I forgot, he never inhaled....

And who are we to pass judgements on others? We are the ones that have to clean up the messes they cause. So STFU, n00b.

Posted by: Duff112

Quote:

Originally Posted by knapkin

Boy Paper Knapkin you got us all there....

With the likes of a talk show host like Bill Mahr and how successful he is, everyone should smoke pot. Hell lets introduce it to every high school student, even make it mandatory.

Anyone who has a hint of the loony left politicians in this state knows about Ruth Balser. She practically works for the American Friends Service organization, which clearly has an agenda to empty the prisons of everybody
except White Male Domestic Abusers.

Marijuana is an illegal substance and should stay that way.

Posted by: Killjoy

Quote:

You know, Scott Weiland and Perry Farrell are noted heroin users and very successful musicians. So you are saying I should shoot some heroin and smoke some pot to be successful.....

I've often asked pot smokers if they would want their kids smoking pot, and they usually say no...kinda makes you think.

Posted by: knapkin

Police are "an organized civil force for maintaining order, preventing and detecting crime, and enforcing the laws."

Police are the enforcement of laws made by the government. Im not saying that the policing of marijuana law is wrong (because marijuana is illegal) but whats wrong if the decriminalization of marijuana? Surely alcohol (which can be handled legally by those of age) causes more problems. The majority of those i know who smoke marijuana are doing so in privacy and not causing harm to others. But rather sitting around with others doing nothing.

And...Killjoy:"You know, Scott Weiland and Perry Farrell are noted heroin users and very successful musicians. So you are saying I should shoot some heroin and smoke some pot to be successful.....

I've often asked pot smokers if they would want their kids smoking pot, and they usually say no...kinda makes you think."

I didn't say that marijuana was a postive thing, i was just making the point that it was possible to use it and still be successful, just as it is possible to drink and succeed and to not wear your seatbelt and be completely safe.

Posted by: Fozzy

Quote:

the commonwealth is using a lot of time and money to arrest people and to prosecute cases in court or settle cases in court," Balser said.

First offenses for a small amount are CWOF $50.00 costs. Which time and money would that be?

Quote:

"Liquor, guns, these things are all legal. Marijuana has not been known to kill a soul,"

Yeah, 'cuz people drive so friggin' well under it's influence. Jackass.

Posted by: Oscar8

knapkin go drink, smoke pot, not wear your seatbelt and be completely safe for us. See how long you "succeed"

hahahaha

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