Pubdate: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 Source: Cincinnati Enquirer (OH) Copyright: 2007 The Cincinnati Enquirer Contact: http://enquirer.com/editor/letters.html Website: http://enquirer.com/today/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/86 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana) STRICTER MARIJUANA LAW RENEWED Cincinnati's stricter law for marijuana possession will stay in effect. The ordinance - which makes having even a small amount of pot punishable by a $250 fine and up to 30 days in jail - was set to expire this week. But City Council members renewed it Wednesday. More than 20 people testified Tuesday and Wednesday in favor of letting the one-year ordinance die. They said it only contributed to the crowding at the Hamilton County Jail and that police officers should be spending their time fighting serious crime. But Police Chief Tom Streicher said the ordinance led officers to find 62 guns between April 2006 and the end of February. Councilmen David Crowley and Jim Tarbell voted against the renewal. Tarbell suggested putting another one-year cap on the ordinance, but that would have required Councilman Cecil Thomas, who put the ordinance forward, to allow an amendment. Thomas did not. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake