cannabisnews.com: Senate Leader Backs Pot Decriminalization Bill





Senate Leader Backs Pot Decriminalization Bill
Posted by CN Staff on March 25, 2009 at 10:45:11 PT
By Jon Lender, The Hartford Courant
Source: Hartford Courant
Connecticut -- Removing criminal penalties for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana could save the state more than $11 million in law enforcement costs, according to a new legislative report cited by a state Senate leader trying to rally support for his decriminalization bill.Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, D- New Haven, submitted testimony Tuesday to the legislature's judiciary committee on a measure that would decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana by changing the offense from a misdemeanor — punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine and one year in jail — to an infraction subject to a fine of up to $121.
Looney said that the bill "represents a compassionate and pragmatic policy. Our state should not encourage illegal drug use; however, possession of marijuana for personal use should not leave a person with a life-long criminal record."The bill would cut costs for police, courts, public defenders and prosecutors, he said.The judiciary panel has until April 3 to decide whether to move the bill forward for further action, but Looney's wasn't the only view."It seems surreal that the same General Assembly that legislatively addresses quality of life and health issues, like trans-fat and secondhand smoke, would ever consider a bill that decriminalizes a substance which has such noxious effects," said Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton. "Marijuana is a gateway for other drugs."The legislature's Office of Fiscal Analysis said that the 9,928 marijuana arrests in Connecticut in 2007 represented 7 percent of total arrests statewide, and it estimated that 3,300 of those involved less than an ounce."Based on a proportionate analysis" of money spent to handle those cases, the report said, "it is estimated that the proposal could save up to $11 million and generate $320,000 ... from fines annually."Looney said that Massachusetts residents voted last year to decriminalize possessing the same quantity of marijuana.Newshawk: Sam AdamsSource: Hartford Courant (CT)Author: Jon Lender, The Hartford CourantPublished: March 25, 2009Copyright: 2009 The Hartford CourantContact: letters courant.comWebsite: http://www.courant.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/TGonjHEfRelated Articles:Senator Opposes Lessening Pot Penaltieshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24617.shtmlState Considers Decriminalizing Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24616.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 25, 2009 at 16:14:34 PT
Dankhank
Thank you for posting it too. Like minds think alike you know!
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Comment #3 posted by dankhank on March 25, 2009 at 16:06:08 PT
just checked ...
previous thread and saw it's already up ...
good eye, FoM
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Comment #2 posted by Dankhank on March 25, 2009 at 11:13:32 PT
good read ...
check this out, a bit OT, but excellent.Skinny Dipping in Reality: The Great Hippy LSD Enlightenment Search Partyhttp://drugsense.org/url/uMFduBMdand this blog ...http://www.joebageant.com/
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 25, 2009 at 10:55:57 PT
Thumbs Up on Obama's Open for Questions
March 25, 2009URL: http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/03/the-early-revie.html
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