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SHERIFF CANDIDATES DISCUSS MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION, DRUG ENFORCEMENT

On April 14, Gov.  Martin O'Malley signed a bill which decriminalizes marijuana possession effective Oct.  1.

The new law makes possession of small amounts of marijuana, less than 10 grams, a civil rather than a criminal offense, and prosecutors and law enforcement from around the state have raised concerns about how the policy can be effectively enforced as well as questioning the wisdom of decriminalizing possession of what can currently get someone 90 days in jail or a $500 fine.

In the June 24 primary, three Republican candidates will vie for election as Carroll County Sheriff to replace retiring Sheriff Ken Tregoning.  One Democratic candidate is unopposed in the primary.  The Republican candidates are Jim DeWees, Chris Fiora and Phillip Kasten.  The Democratic candidate is Vince Pacelli.

We asked the candidates: Do you support the policy of decriminalization of marijuana? If not, why, and if so, in what amount? What policies do you believe need to be in place to combat more serious drug issues, such as heroin and prescription pill abuse?

DeWees: I don't support the policy and believe that marijuana is a gateway drug to more dangerous drugs.  It would be another substance children can aspire to do legally and unfortunately lead to developing stronger addictions.  I certainly don't think we should throw people in jail for possessing small amounts of marijuana, but I do believe we need to educate people on the true effects of using marijuana.  This can be done effectively in our schools and through drug abuse prevention programs.  Law enforcement resources would be more effectively used to focus on the more serious issue in Carroll County; heroin addiction and prescription pill abuse.  I was a part of the Heroin Kills initiative during the late 1990s and worked with RAD informing our community about the serious heroin problem in our county.  It's my plan to work with these resources to attack the rising drug abuse in our county.

Fiora: I do not support the decriminalization of marijuana primarily because I feel it sends mixed messages to our children.  As a parent, I always taught my children to avoid alcohol and cigarettes and as a society, we have passed laws to enforce this notion.  By decriminalizing marijuana, we are saying cigarettes and alcohol are bad but a joint is okay, which I believe is a double standard that will only confuse our kids.  To combat serious drug issues, in addition to the anti-drug programs I mentioned earlier, I also want to work with the State's Attorney's Office to enforce the full penalty of law on repeat drug offenders.  I also want to see what can be done to make our drug rehabilitation efforts more effective.  Combating drugs requires a multifaceted approach and I believe education, enforcement, and effective rehabilitation are crucial in this endeavor.

Kasten: I do not support the decriminalization of marijuana.  Marijuana is the most prevalent illicit drug in Carroll County, with our Drug Task Force seizing over 700 marijuana plants, 38 pounds of packaged marijuana, and representing half their total arrests during 2013.  Marijuana is proven to be a gateway drug to the abuse of more serious drugs like heroin.  This fact is supported by incarceration patterns, with 75-80 percent of offenders incarcerated for substance abuse, theft or burglary committed to support a substance abuse habit.  Those states having decriminalized marijuana have not experienced decreases in addiction, rather the occurrences of drug related crashes have increased.  In addition to the School Resource Officer Partnership's community based prevention efforts, implementation of treatment court at the District and Juvenile Court levels would initiate treatment and intensive monitoring earlier in a user's career, increasing the success of treating abuse before! it becomes an addiction.

Pacelli: At the present time I am truly conflicted on the policy of decriminalization of marijuana.  With just a little research one can find reports, statistics and data that support both sides of the issue.  What I can commit to is that I do not agree with putting non-violent drug offenders in already overcrowded prisons and jails.  However, with the dramatic increase in substance abuse we are experiencing, it is time Carroll County has its own dedicated drug task force.  This will allow us to prioritize, and put command and control in the hands of local law enforcement.

Along with our own drug task force, Social Media Analysis may give us the ability to disrupt substance abuse and drug trafficking.