Pubdate: Mon, 05 Jan 2015
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2015 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.abqjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SEES RISE IN MARIJUANA CASES

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - An increasing number of visitors to Yellowstone 
National Park are being prosecuted for possessing small amounts of 
medical and recreational pot, which remains illegal on federal land.

Park rangers attribute the trend both to ignorance of federal law and 
the growing prevalence of legal pot in other states, including 
neighboring Colorado, which has legal medical and recreational marijuana.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Cheyenne reports it prosecuted 21 
marijuana cases from Yellowstone in 2010 and 52 in 2013. As of Dec. 
17, the office had handled 80 cases in 2014.

Those convicted of misdemeanor possession commonly receive a $1,000 fine.

The numbers are small compared to the millions who trek each year to 
the nation's first national park. The bulk of the 2.2-million-acre 
park is in Wyoming, with slivers extending into Montana to the north 
and Idaho to the east.

Tim Reid, the chief ranger, said he believes the increase mirrors the 
prevalence of pot in society.

Alex Freeburg, a criminal defense lawyer in Jackson, Wyoming, 
frequently handles marijuana possession cases from Yellowstone. He 
said his clients often are surprised when they're charged for small 
amounts of marijuana.

"I think that it's fair to say that it is the legalization in a 
couple of states. They know it's illegal but they don't think it's a 
crime," Freeburg said. "There's some sort of disconnect."

The typical marijuana case arises from a traffic stop in which 
rangers say they smell the drug in the vehicle.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom