Pubdate: Wed, 19 Mar 2003
Source: Boston Weekly Dig (MA)
Copyright: 2003 Boston Weekly Dig
Contact:  http://www.weeklydig.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1515
Author: Mark Lehrer
Note: Editor's note from Weekly Dig editor
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n364/a04.html

STONERS WRESTLE WITH PARANOIA

This is in response to the article "Stoners Find Almost $25 Million: Offer 
It to Romney" (#5.09).

Have you considered how much decriminalization will cost?

With a reduction in asset forfeiture (if it applies to your state) and the 
possibility of the federal government cutting funds, this $25 million can 
disappear if the state government is not careful. This is one reason why 
state governments often fight decrim and legalization, though they will 
never publicly say it.

Mark Lehrer

Salt Lake City, Utah

Ed. note: Under Massachusetts State Law: "No conveyance or real property 
used to facilitate the unlawful manufacturing, dispensing or distribution 
of, or the possession with intent unlawfully to manufacture, dispense, or 
distribute marihuana or a substance, not itself a controlled substance, 
containing any marihuana shall be forfeited if the net weight of the 
substance so manufactured, dispensed, or distributed or possessed with 
intent to manufacture, dispense or distribute, is less than 10 pounds in 
the aggregate."

Lawyers from both the Massachusetts chapter of NORML and the Drug Policy 
Forum of Massachusetts claim they know of no case in which the Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts has derived any income from property forfeited by 
individuals charged with personal possession of marijuana, the only crime 
that proposed decriminalization legislation would effect.
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MAP posted-by: Beth