Pubdate: Sat, 28 Mar 2009
Source: Day, The (New London,CT)
Copyright: 2009 The Day Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.theday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/293

DECRIMINALIZE POT

Few people go to jail for possessing small amounts of pot, anyway, so 
why is the state spending millions to arrest and prosecute 
recreational users and give them a criminal record?

The Connecticut General Assembly should follow Massachusetts' lead 
and change possession of less than one ounce of marijuana from a 
criminal misdemeanor to an infraction. Gov. M. Jodi Rell is looking 
for substantive ways to save money. Here is one.

According to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, there were 9,928 
marijuana arrests in Connecticut in 2007, representing 7 percent of 
total arrests statewide, and about one-third of those involved 
possession of less than an ounce of pot. By making those 
small-possession incidents infractions, akin to getting a speeding 
ticket, the state could save $11 million in reduced police, court and 
attorney costs, the OFA concluded.

And with fines ranging up to $121, it could generate $320,000 in 
revenue. A small-time marijuana user can now be sent to prison for a 
year and fined $1,000.

In reality, few people caught with a little marijuana and guilty of 
no other crime get jail time, but they often get a criminal record. 
That is a harsh penalty to pay for recreational use.

The more logical alternative is legalization, which would remove the 
criminal element from the marijuana trade, generate tax revenues and 
provide quality control to avoid lacing of the drug with other 
substances. But that option is not feasible as long as possession 
remains a federal crime.

On this issue the public appears ahead of the politicians. When 
President Barack Obama conducted the first online chat by a president 
Thursday, he was surprised to learn that one of the top questions 
asked was whether marijuana should be legalized, taxed and regulated 
to end the massive black market supporting it.

"The answer is no, I don't think that is a good strategy to grow the 
economy," said the president.

In the nation's federalist system the states often serve as 
incubators of new and different ideas. Time will tell how 
decriminalization works. If it doesn't generate "reefer madness," 
maybe then it will be time for a discussion on legalization.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart