D.C. Council weakens bill to decriminalize marijuana, keeps smoking in public a crime

[alp227]

Last edited Tue Feb 4, 2014, 06:40 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Washington Post

The D.C. Council voted to eliminate criminal penalties for possession of marijuana on Tuesday, but left smoking of marijuana a crime, splintering an effort to have the District join the quarter of U.S. states that have fully decriminalized marijuana.

The 11-1 decision by the D.C. Council came as D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray warned that removing the threat of jail time could lead to widespread public smoking of the drug.

Instead, the D.C. Council voted to make possession of the drug a civil offense, akin to a parking ticket, but to keep smoking in public a crime, with a reduced maximum jail sentence of 60 days instead of six months.

“I do not want the public smoking of marijuana around my kid — I do not,” said Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), raising his voice to press his point. “I do not want to have to somehow rationalize to her why that’s ok ... and I dare say that I’m not alone as a parent.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-council-weakens-bill-to-decriminalize-marijuana/2014/02/04/508eaabe-8d27-11e3-95dd-36ff657a4dae_story.html

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Although I'm not fond of smoke getting blown in my face, the punishments for that are still WAY. TOO. HIGH. (heh heh. I said high.)

[geardaddy]

1. FFS

“widespread smoking of marijuana in public.”


Won't someone please think of the children?!

[Phlem]

2. Another spineless DINO.

-p

[Chan790]

3. Oh FFS.

It could also perhaps result in the end of the epidemic of the pointless criminalization of young black males in one major east-coast city.

Decriminalize pot because nobody other than Reagan-era drug-warriors actually thinks it's in any way, shape or form harmful to anybody. It's not my thing, admittedly...but if it's not harming anybody and it's less dangerous than OTC cold medicine, why continue the pointless criminalization of naturally-growing plants?

[warrant46]

4. There's already plenty of illegal Crack for sale in D.C.

Plenty of panhandlers shaking cups at the metro stations to buy crack

[lame54]

5. so we'll stick to widespread arresting of people

[RainDog]

6. C'mom, Mayor Gray. Take it to Congress where they live

at least part of the year.

[marble falls]

7. We ban a lot of public consumption for alchohol and tobacco. Second hand smoke is a concideration.

[musselmanm]

8. great

One giant leap for mankind.