cannabisnews.com: Council Will Hear Marijuana Proposal Council Will Hear Marijuana Proposal Posted by CN Staff on January 05, 2003 at 09:30:12 PT By Stephanie Von Brochowski, Reporter Source: Columbia Missourian The Columbia City Council on Monday will hear a proposal that aims to retool the city's law-enforcement stance toward small amounts of marijuana. The proposal would make the possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana a ticketable offense only, not punishable by imprisonment. Such cases would only be referred to the municipal prosecuting attorney and would not be prosecuted by a state prosecutor. The proposed ordinance would also ensure that patients for whom marijuana has been recommended by a physician suffer no punishment for obtaining, possessing or using marijuana or marijuana paraphernalia. The ordinance would be voted on at the council's Jan. 20 meeting, Columbia attorney Dan Viets said. If a simple majority doesn't approve the proposal, the council will pass a second ordinance that would place the proposal on the April 8 ballot. "The council can either pass the ordinance or submit it to the voters," said City Manager Raymond Beck. Anthony Johnson, a 25-year-old law student at MU and president of the Mizzou American Civil Liberties Union, wrote the petition with Viets. Johnson said he was inspired by a similar city-council initiative in Ann Arbor, Mich. "The main reason why this ordinance is important is that students cannot get federal loans, grants or work-study money if they are convicted in state court," Viets said. "We oppose the current marijuana policy that is anti-education, anti-patient's rights and a failed policy that disproportionately harms students, the seriously ill, minorities and the poor," Johnson added. Sarah Duff, who recently graduated from MU with a bachelor's degree in political science, actively supported Johnson's initiative by spending 25 hours a week during the last six months asking people to sign the petition. The group needed 1,191 valid signatures and collected more than 2,500 signatures, Duff said. The city clerk's office said Tuesday that the petition contained 1,285 valid signatures. "In the last months, I have dedicated my life to it," she said. "The police should focus on more pressing issues that really do hurt society." Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm is not convinced by those arguments. "I am opposed to any type of legislation that would not allow officers to have discretion," he said. "I'm just not comfortable with that message. I certainly feel that marijuana can be a dangerous drug." Boehm also said in all cases that involve a first-offense possession charge of a small amount of marijuana but don't involve other charges, officers send the suspect to municipal court, where student loans won't be affected. Note: The plan would soften the penalty for having small quantities of pot.Source: Columbia Missourian (MO)Author: Stephanie Von Brochowski, ReporterPublished: January 05, 2003Copyright: 2003 Columbia MissourianContact: editor digmo.com Website: http://www.digmo.com/Related Article:Groups Hope Petition Helps Soften Pot Policieshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14445.shtmlCannabisNews - Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by druid on January 06, 2003 at 13:20:33 PT NORML Sidenote I would like to pass this along to those of you in Alabama that might be interested but don't subscribe to NORML.Dear NORML Supporter:I am writing today to let you know that we are interested in establishing a state-wide Alabama NORML organization that can advocate effectively for an end to the practice of arresting responsible marijuana smokers in you state, and to ask for your personal support and involvement in this effort.We were recently contacted by attorney Loretta Nall of the Alabama Marijuana Party, who has indicated an interest in helping us get Alabama NORML up and running. As we discussed this project further, it seemed to make sense that we contact our supporters in the state to see who else would be available to assist with this effort.Alabama is a state in serious need of marijuana law reform. Approximately 10,000 of your fellow citizens in Alabama are arrested on marijuana charges each year. That's an enormous waste of law enforcement resources that should be focused on serious and violent crime, including terrorism, and it unfairly destroys the lives and careers of thousands of good citizens each year, for no good cause. We have defined a whole segment of our population as criminals, simply because they smoke marijuana.Our goal is to identify a group of citizens from various walks of life, representing different regions of your state, who could form a steering committee to run Alabama NORML. The committee would develop an agenda of projects for the organization, including draft legislation which we would attempt to get introduced in the state legislature. Our legislative goals would include both decriminalizing recreational use and legalizing medical use.If you are interested in helping us establish a statewide Alabama NORML, please send us a little information about yourself, including your profession, your location, and any special interest or skills you have that may be helpful (i.e., web site design, lobbying, public relations, etc.). We'll sort through the responses and select those individuals who seem best suited to serve on the initial steering committee.Please provide your response, by e-mail (kris norml.org), fax (202-483-0057) or regular mail no later than January 15. We hope to move this project forward in a timely fashion, with the intent of announcing the new group publicly by the middle of the year.I look forward to working with you over the coming months to get Alabama NORML up and running.Regards,Kris Krane Affiliate Coordinator NORML kris norml.org [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by 420_247_69 on January 05, 2003 at 11:23:13 PT: DRUG COPS UNDER THE GUN Snipped:"Witch Hunt" DRUG COPS UNDER THE GUN Complete Article: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n018/a07.html?1042Snipped:Subject: OFFICER SHOT BY MISTAKE Snipped:Incomplete Article:http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n016/a04.html?1042He just typed. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by BGreen on January 05, 2003 at 10:56:28 PT No Other Word Will Do, But I'll Censor Myself "I am opposed to any type of legislation that would not allow officers to have discretion," he said. "I'm just not comfortable with that message. I certainly feel that marijuana can be a dangerous drug."Screw your discretion and that of your officers. You're guilty of war crimes and you will rot in prison before you rot in hell.Dan Viets used to be involved with NORML. He's a really cool guy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by The GCW on January 05, 2003 at 10:39:57 PT If He (I), "I certainly feel that marijuana can be a dangerous drug." Then it certainly can be a safe "plant".The poor police man doesn't want his food dish taken away, may be more like it.I and society am not convinced by Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm arguments. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 05, 2003 at 10:27:27 PT Just a Note I missed a link I should have put in the above article so here it is.City Clerk Validates Marijuana Petitions: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15086.shtml CannabisNews Chat [ Post Comment ] Post Comment