Clevelanders

[moominmuppet]

Cleveland may re-criminalize marijuana possession


Right now, a person who gets caught in Cleveland with a small amount of marijuana is charged with a minor misdemeanor, which is only a ticketable offense, and is fined $100. However, Councilman Zach Reed has introduced an ordinance that would increase the penalty to three days in jail in addition to paying the $100 fine.

Councilman Reed believes that these increased penalties will help the city more effectively deal with drug problems. In fact, though, the proposal will send nonviolent marijuana users to jail, doing nothing to stop the violent crime. Arresting, prosecuting, and jailing nonviolent marijuana users is an incredible waste of precious taxpayer resources. If Councilman Reed really wants to fight Cleveland's drug problems, then he should push the City Council to spend more money on drug treatment programs.

Link for emailing your councilcritters is at the original article.

Comments

[kat-chan.livejournal.com]

The $100 fine won't even begin to offset the costs of prosecuting the offenders and housing them for three days. Where's that money going to come from? What priority is going to get short-shrift so that the councilman can feel better about all of those "dangerous" stoners being safely locked away for 72 hours?

I'm not a user, as you know. But even I can see that this plan is just sheer stupidity and a waste of public resources. Save the jails for people who really deserve them; wife-beaters, murderers, multi-offense DUI offenders...