Philadelphia to ease marijuana penalty

[kpete]

Source: Philadelphia Daily News

Philadelphia to ease marijuana penalty

By Craig R. McCoy, Nancy Phillips, and Dylan Purcell

Inquirer Staff Writers

The city's new district attorney and the state Supreme Court are moving to all but decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use in an effort to unclog Philadelphia's crowded court dockets.

Under a policy to take effect later this month, prosecutors will charge such cases as summary offenses rather than as misdemeanors. People arrested with up to 30 grams of the drug - slightly more than an ounce - may have to pay a fine but face no risk of a criminal record.

"We have to be smart on crime," said District Attorney Seth Williams, who took office in January. "We can't declare a war on drugs by going after the kid who's smoking a joint on 55th Street. We have to go after the large traffickers."

The shift is a major move in a reform agenda being hammered out in an unusual partnership between Williams and two members of the state Supreme Court, Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille and Justice Seamus P. McCaffery, each of whom has a long background in criminal justice.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20100405_Philadelphia_to_ease_marijuana_penalty.html

[defendandprotect]

1. We need every state to start emptying the jails -- and money for programs ...

[ixion]

2. decriminalize it. period.

stop jailing pot smokers.

[sasquuatch55]

7. Cudos

nt

[AngryAmish]

8. I think people should be busted for smoking it on the street - like drinking on the street

But it should be legal for those in their homes.

[4_TN_TITANS]

3. Call it what it is - a 'tax' on the people who get caught.

Step in the right direction tho..

[jberryhill]

4. Not too shabby, though

There's no reason to be out smoking it on the sidewalk. Can't drink there either.

[Winterblues]

12. "There's no reason to be out smoking it on the sidewalk."

Goes for tobacco as well IMO

[jberryhill]

13. That's coming

Surprisingly enough, public smoking in Kenya is illegal.

There are places that have designated outdoor areas, but you can't just smoke tobacco on the sidewalk.

It's pretty amazing to walk around Nairobi and not see anyone smoking.

[Mike K]

19. It's not just a tax on people who get caught.

It's a tax on you, too, assuming you pay ordinary taxes, because the cost of arresting and prosecuting marinuana "offenses" is very significant. In fact, the savings and revenues available from legalizing and taxing marijuana, just like booze, could finance single-payer health insurance.

[Uncle Joe]

5. I believe Philadelphia is the one of the few enlightened cities with free wireless as well?

I'm happy for the good people of Philadelphia.

Philadephia Freedom.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.:thumbsup:

[CHelms]

6. It's a good start

They'll save a lot of money, court time and jail space by not wasting their time prosecuting (persecuting?) pot heads. Right wingers who seem perfectly willing to let half a dozen serial killers loose in order to make room for Tommy Chong won't like this one little bit.

[bamacrat]

9. +1 to Philly for realizing reality.

I wonder how much state governments could save by doing this and not clogging their courts?

[Mike K]

10. Another important step in the right direction.

Sincere compliments to Philadelphia legislators.

[Flaneur]

11. Decrim is only a half-measure. We need to legalize it.

Decrim still leaves an illicit black market.

Decrim still gives cops the ability to do pot dealer raids.

Decrim means they just steal your stash and your money instead of busting you. Progress, yeah, but not nearly enough.

[Mike K]

16. decriminalization means administrative suspension -

- of all but specifically designated enforcement activities. It is essentially an "understanding."

Marijuana was effectively decriminalized in New York City throughout the sixties and seventies. While the laws remained on the books and could be enforced at discretion the police were told not to remove themselves from patrol with "bullshit" marijuana arrests.

During that period possession of less than 55 grams (around two ounces) was a summons offense that was settled with a $25 fine or ten days in the "Tombs," but the cops were not looking for that. Some pot laws were strictly enforced, foremost among which was distribution to minors. That was serious and called for a prison sentence. While public sale was forbidden there were places in the City, Thompson Square Park, for one, where the cops paid no attention to the petty dealers who did their business discreetly as long as no minors were seen buying from them. The positive effect of this arrangement is kids couldn't find a dealer anywhere who would sell to them.

Back then my across-the-street neighbor in Brooklyn had pot plants growing in big wood tubs on the roof of his brownstone, there was all sorts of indoor growing going on and there were head-shops all over the place. Even E.J. Korvette's sold bongs, hand pipes and screens in its tobacco department. An ounce of "cheapo" weed could be had for $20 and an ounce of primo indica sinsemilla was $50 - $75.

Then came Ronald Reagan.

[Flaneur]

14. Ooh, this is bullshit decrim: They still arrest you.

Read the link.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. how many joints in 30 grams?

[Mike K]

17. Depends -

- on whether you like to smoke fatties or skinnies.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

18. Let;s say skinnies. How many?

[Mike K]

20. It's been a very long time since I rolled any joints -

- so I can't tell you.

What I can tell you is smoking is not the best way to enjoy it. I used to bake one hell of a carrot cake with it back in the seventies. The problem is it takes a lot more to bake with than to smoke and the exorbitant price of a bootleg ounce precludes baking. This is why smoking it is so commonplace.

If marijuana becomes legally available before I die, which at age 73 that isn't likely, I definitely will be baking again. Because the effect of a nice piece of pot cake is so much better in every way than a few beers or hard liquor in any form.

[maxsolomon]

22. +/- 40?

who could handle an entire joint of today's weed?

[toopers]

21. Release all non-violent drug offenders . . .

as long as they were not selling to minors and had only enough for themselves.