Pubdate: Wed, 15 Feb 2006
Source: Daily News Tribune (Waltham, MA)
Copyright: 2006 The Daily News Tribune
Contact:  http://www.dailynewstribune.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3562
Author:  Emelie Rutherford
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

POT BILL LIGHTS UP DEBATE

BOSTON -- As advocates for substance abusers applaud legislation to 
decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, some 
crime watchdogs  are slamming the measure they said would send a 
mixed message on drug use. A legislative  committee advanced a bill 
on Monday that would make possession of less than one  ounce of 
marijuana a civil offense with a $250 fine for a first offense, 
instead  of a criminal infraction that could land a first-time 
offender in jail for six  months with a $500 fine.

Supporters said  the bill that has languished in the Legislature in 
past sessions may have fared  better this time because it was weighed 
by the Legislature 's new joint Mental  Health and Substance Abuse 
Committee. "I think as a  committee we really do have a perspective 
of focusing on education, prevention  and treatment, and that's 
different than the criminal justice tough-on-crime  approach," said 
the committee's House chairwoman, state Rep. Ruth Balser,  D-Newton.

Supporters said  decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of 
marijuana would prevent  offenders from having difficulty securing 
federal student loans, jobs and  housing because of criminal records. 
A 2002 report by  a Boston University economist estimates marijuana 
possession arrests and  bookings cost the state $24.3 million a year. 
Balser said some of that money  could be better spent on substance 
abuse treatment. "There's way too  many people with substance abuse 
problems in jail and in the criminal justice  system," said James 
Cuddy, executive director of Framingham social service  agency SMOC, 
who applauded the legislation. The bill still  would have to clear 
several hurdles to become law -- approval first by the  Senate, then 
the House and Gov. Mitt Romney, and Romney's office has signaled he 
may oppose it.

Spokeswomen for  Senate President Robert Travaglini and House Speaker 
Salvatore DiMasi could not  confirm the legislative leaders' stances 
on the bill yesterday. Framingham Police  Chief Steven Carl said the 
bill would "unnecessarily endanger the public in the  big picture."

"On a daily  basis, we deal with the issue of alcohol and driving 
when intoxicated...and now  we're going to say it's easier to use 
marijuana?" Carl said. Carl said judges  are the appropriate 
caretakers to determine how to punish marijuana offenders.  Many 
first-time offenders, he said, have their cases continued without findings.

Milford Police  Chief Thomas O'Loughlin said the bill would send a 
mixed message to young  adults.

"If the age is  18, are we sending messages to kids that are 
different, (that) you can't have  that can of beer but you can have 
five or six joints in your pocket, that's OK?"  O'Loughlin said.

He questioned how  the bill would be enforced, saying many of the 
offenders would not end up paying  the civil fines.

State Rep. Karyn  Polito, R-Shrewsbury, a member of the Mental Health 
and Substance Abuse  Committee, said the bill "sends the wrong 
message." "I think it's a  very narrow group of people that want the 
passage of this law," said Polito, who  was not present for the 
committee's 6-1 vote. Fellow committee  member Richard Ross, 
R-Wrentham, said he dropped his initial opposition to the  bill.

"The more I heard  about how even a small infraction follows someone 
for the rest of their lives,  and (marijuana) has become such a 
prevalent use in society, it seemed like an  unfair tag to stick on 
somebody," Ross said. Eleven other  states have decriminalized 
possession of marijuana to some extent, according to  Whitney Taylor, 
the executive director of the Drug Policy Forum of Massachusetts.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom