Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jan 2014
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2014 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Author: Erin Cox

ZIRKIN, KITTLEMAN JOIN ON MARIJUANA BILL

A bipartisan pair of state senators plans to introduce a proposal
today to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.

"We're not trying to encourage people to smoke pot," said Sen. Bobby
Zirkin, a Baltimore County Democrat who is leading the effort. "I
don't think that having a joint should be a jail-able offense. I don't
think that's the definition of a crime."

Under the bill, it would no longer be a crime to have less than 10
grams of marijuana. Instead, the proposal calls for making possession
a civil offense that could result in a ticket for adults and drug
treatment for minors. The measure cleared the Senate last year but
didn't get a vote in the House of Delegates.

Republican Sen. Allan Kittleman of Howard County is a co-sponsor of
the measure. He said the legislation would keep police out of
courtrooms for minor drug offenses. "They're losing hours and hours of
time that could be put toward protecting public safety," he said.

Kittleman, who is running for county executive, said he's decided
against cosponsoring a separate measure that would legalize marijuana,
regulate it and tax it like alcohol. He said that while it's important
for the state to debate whether to drop the long-standing prohibition
of pot, some parts of the proposed legalization effort concern him. In
particular, he said, he is against a provision to expunge the criminal
records of people convicted of possession charges. Kittleman said
those convicted in the past knew it was illegal at the time. 
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