Pubdate: Thu, 8 Jan 2009
Source: Martha's Vineyard Times (MA)
Copyright: 2009 Martha's Vineyard Times
Contact:  http://www.mvtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1166
Author: Steve Myrick
Note: Dan Cabot contributed reporting for this article.

NEW POT LAW POSES QUESTIONS ON ENFORCEMENT

Island police officers and courts are proceeding slowly this week to 
enforce a new law that decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana. In 
the view of some local law enforcement agencies, the new law creates 
inconsistencies in substance abuse penalties, adds unnecessary 
paperwork, and weakens their efforts to keep drugs out of Vineyard communities.

While there are several unanswered questions about implementation of 
the controversial measure, most law enforcement groups on Martha's 
Vineyard believe that little will change in the way they deal with 
offenders, because they seldom arrested offenders solely on a charge 
of possessing a small amount of marijuana before the new law was enacted.

The new law was approved by 65 percent of voters as Question 2, a 
referendum question on last November's ballot. It went into effect on 
January 2. Simply, it means possession of an ounce or less of 
marijuana or hashish is no longer a criminal offense, but a civil 
offense, subject to a $100 fine. An offense is not entered into any 
criminal record. It will not show up in future background checks for 
employment, or applications for permits and licenses.

Cape and Islands district attorney Michael O'Keefe was an outspoken 
opponent of the referendum question during the fall campaign. In a 
phone conversation with The Times on Monday, he called the new law 
"de facto legalization" of marijuana.

"As people really begin to look at this," he said, "it's going to 
sink in that this is a foolish law.  Ballot questions are a silly way 
to make policy."

Massachusetts is the 13th state to enact some form of 
decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana. It is the first 
state to do so through a public ballot initiative.

"It's a civil matter now, over which we have no jurisdiction," said Mr. Keefe.

West Tisbury Police chief Beth Toomey opposed the referendum 
question, and she is taking a cautious approach now that it is law. 
"I'm not going to over react or under react," she said. "We'll 
proceed conservatively and take it slowly. I want to be fair to the 
people, fair to the police officers, and fair to the law. I want to 
do what's right."

Edgartown police chief Paul Condlin said he would adopt state 
guidelines for issuing citations. He does not anticipate significant 
problems in enforcement, but minces no words about the changes in the law.

"It's bad law," said chief Condlin. "I understand the intentions, but 
whoever formatted the law didn't realize the ramifications."

Bill Downing is president of the Massachusetts chapter of the 
National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), based in 
Georgetown. He was active in supporting the Massachusetts referendum 
question during the fall campaign.

"The resistance is the blather from sore losers," said Mr. Downing in 
a phone conversation on Tuesday. "People are sore because they lost. 
The way they go about enforcing it is through the same citation 
method they've used for years. Since it's being applied to marijuana 
possessors, they don't like it."

Theory and Practice

Oak Bluffs police lieutenant Tim Williamson explained how things have 
changed, from a police officer's point of view, by citing two 
scenarios. In the first scenario, two 16-year-olds are caught in 
possession of a six-pack of beer on a public beach. In the second 
scenario, two 16-year-olds are caught in possession of an ounce of 
marijuana on a public beach.

Police have a wide range of discretion in how they handle both 
scenarios, but according to Lt. Williamson, police now have fewer 
tools to handle the kids with marijuana.

The teenagers with the beer are subject to arrest and prosecution of 
a criminal offense. Court disposition of the case depends on a 
variety of factors, including criminal records. In Edgartown District 
Court, if it were the first offense for the two teenagers, their case 
would most likely be continued with pre-trial probation, continued 
without a finding, or dismissed upon completion of community service.

According to district court clerk-magistrate Liza Williamson, under 
state laws prior to January 2, the two teenagers with the marijuana 
could be arrested, or summonsed to court. If it was their first 
offense, the state law called for the criminal charge to be continued 
without a finding for six months. They could not be fined, but they 
could be assessed court costs. A record of the disposition would be 
on file for the rest of their lives.

Under the new law, the two teenagers with marijuana cannot be 
arrested. They can be issued a civil citation, and fined $100. Since 
they are under 18, they must attend a drug awareness program, and 
complete 10 hours of community service. They can pay the fine, 
complete the programs, and the case will be closed. If they dispute 
the charges, they can request a hearing before the clerk-magistrate. 
If the clerk-magistrate decides that a preponderance of evidence 
shows they violated the civil statute, they will be fined $100 and, 
if under 18, ordered to a complete a drug awareness program and 
community service. No permanent record of the citation is entered 
into the court records. The citation will not be available to any 
future employer evaluating the teenagers for a job. It will not be 
cause for denying student financial aid, public housing, public 
financial assistance, including unemployment benefits, the right to 
operate a motor vehicle, a firearms identification card, or the 
opportunity to become a foster or adoptive parent.

Procedure and Paperwork

The new law presents some procedural barriers for police, including 
the issue of identification. Under civil laws, a person is not 
required to identify himself or herself to police. If that happens, 
police are faced with the prospect of a time-consuming investigation 
to determine identification. In the past, police could simply use 
their discretion to make an arrest, and hold the suspect until they 
provided identification.

"I think they've taken a tool away from police officers out on the 
street," said Lt. Williamson.

Proponents of the new law say those objections are unwarranted. "When 
they were giving citations out for jaywalking and they were unable to 
demand I.D., it didn't seem to bother them much," said Mr. Downing, 
president of the state NORML chapter. "Question 2 didn't change the 
citation process."

Police officers still have discretion on whether or not to issue a 
citation. In the scenario of a person who refuses to identify 
himself, police officials told The Times they would likely seize the 
marijuana and send the person on their way, unless there were unusual 
circumstances that warranted a citation. In the officials' view, 
issuing a citation ties up the police and the courts, and takes time 
away from enforcement of more serious crimes.

Ironically, seizing the marijuana and releasing the offender is 
exactly how police would likely handle the case before the new law, 
if the person did identify himself or herself. Arrests for possession 
of marijuana alone were rare before the new law, according to police 
and court personnel.

The new law also requires substantial coordination between police, 
the courts, and local town clerks. All fines under the new marijuana 
law are paid to town clerks, and deposited into the town's general 
fund.  Copies of citations must be sent to the town clerk in the town 
where the citation was issued, and in the case of person 18 or under, 
sent to the parents' last known address. If the fines are not paid 
within 21 days, the citing officer must determine whether to file a 
criminal complaint. If a person under 18 is ordered to go through a 
drug awareness program, they have one year to file a certificate 
proving the program was completed. If no certificate is filed, the 
courts can increase the penalty to $1,000, for which the parents and 
the underage offender are jointly liable.

"Those cases will stay in limbo for a year, and we'll have to 
coordinate," said Ms. Williams, the district court clerk-magistrate. 
"Without question it's more work for the courts, more work for the 
police, and more work for the town clerks. Even if it's minimal, it 
will be taking attention away from other important things."

Other Issues

A point of contention cited by law enforcement is the one-ounce 
threshold that makes possession a civil offense. "An ounce of 
marijuana, is essentially up to 50 joints," said Lt. Williamson. 
"That's not a small amount of marijuana. The people that voted for 
this may remember the marijuana of the 1970s and 80s. Marijuana is 
much more potent these days."

Some point out that it is a criminal offense to possess an open 
container of alcohol outside of a licensed bar or restaurant. But it 
is now only a civil offense to smoke marijuana in public. The state 
attorney general is circulating a model bylaw that would make using 
marijuana in public an arrestable offense, with a fine of $300. In 
Oak Bluffs, police chief Erik Blake plans to sponsor such a bylaw 
before voters at the annual town meeting this spring. Neither Chief 
Toomey in West Tisbury nor Chief Condlin in Edgartown foresee an 
effort to change local bylaws.

Those who campaigned for the decriminalization of marijuana promise 
to vigorously oppose efforts to create new restrictions at the local level.

"If towns try to recriminalize marijuana that would be an entirely 
different matter," said Mr. Downing. "The idea that towns, which are 
run by voters, are going to have a vastly different opinion than the 
voters of the state, is unrealistic. I know the police chiefs and 
district attorneys would like to see it recriminalized, but they 
don't run the towns, the people run the towns, and people have voted.'

Critics also say decriminalization of marijuana encourages other 
crimes. "Marijuana is not going to just appear in some kid's pocket," 
said Lt. Williamson.  "He had to buy it somewhere, somebody had to grow it."

Schools Daze

Steve Nixon, principal at the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, 
emphasized that the new law will not change the school's approach to 
insuring a drug-free environment.

"The law applies to what happens outside," said Mr.  Nixon. "There 
are always going to be differences between laws and policies. 
Whenever you're on school grounds, school policy takes precedent."

The school's policy is outlined in the 2008-2009 student handbook. It 
is based on the state law that says that a student who is found in 
possession of a controlled substance on school premises or at a 
school-sponsored or school-related event, including athletic games, 
can be expelled.

School policy allows for punishment short of expulsion.  The students 
can be suspended from school and suspended from all school activities 
outside of class for up to one year, and required to perform up to 80 
hours of community service.

The school is considering action to make sure students understand the 
new law, through student advisories, where a small group of students 
meet with an adult to discuss issues affecting the school.

"We may incorporate it," said Mr. Nixon. "That's something we have a 
group working on."

[sidebar]

YES AND NO QUESTIONS

Is marijuana legal now?

No. Possession of any amount of marijuana violates state law. Under 
the new law, possession of an ounce or less is a civil, not a 
criminal, violation.

So, is there really any difference?

Yes. A civil violation doesn't go on any permanent record. An 
employer doing a background check will have no access to the 
citation, and it can't disqualify you from getting a college 
scholarship or a firearms identification card.

Can I be charged with distribution of marijuana, if I have less than an ounce?

Yes. Intent to distribute is usually determined by how the drug is 
packaged, or whether police observe a sale, not the amount.

What if I grow my own, but don't grow more than an ounce, is that legal?

No. It is still a criminal violation to grow any amount of marijuana.

If I'm smoking a joint while driving, and I have less than an ounce 
in the car, can I be arrested?

Yes. The new law does not change any laws or penalties for driving 
under the influence of drugs.

If I get caught with less than an ounce at school, can I get kicked out?

Yes. State law gives the school principal a range of options for 
possession on school grounds, or at a school event, including expulsion.

If I refuse to give the police officer my name, can he still cite me?

No. Unless the officer can identify you in another way. Remember, we 
live on a small Island, and police tend to be tougher on offenders 
who don't cooperate.

Do my parents have to know about the citation?

Yes. Police are required to send a copy to the parents of anyone 18 or under.

Are the penalties under the new law less severe than the old laws?

Yes and no. If cited under the new law, you will be fined $100, but 
you won't have a criminal record. But the most common dispositions 
for a first offense under the old law were often less severe: you 
were not fined, underage offenders did not have to attend drug 
awareness programs nor complete community service, you were not be 
subject to a $1,000 fine if you didn't perform the community service, 
and you had a right to appeal a court's decision. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake