Pubdate: Sat, 11 Apr 2009
Source: Gloucester Daily Times (MA)
Copyright: 2009 Essex County Newspapers, Incorporated.
Contact: http://www.salemnews.com/email/#Editor-g
Website: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/169
Author: Robert Cann
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)

POLICE WRITE UP TEEN UNDER NEW POT LAW

MANCHESTER - Days after annual Town Meeting elected to  send the issue
of stiffer fines for public consumption  of marijuana to the Board of
Health, police issued a  citation for possession of less than an ounce
of  marijuana to a teenager at Manchester Essex Regional  High School.

The citation, the first issued in Manchester and the  third on Cape
Ann, was written by police Detective Rick  Newton just after noon
Wednesday to a young woman.  Newton had been called in by school officials.

Police said the girl was not smoking, which is the  issue that has
been a matter of public debate since  police Chief Glenn McKiel placed
an article on the Town  Meeting warrant that would have created a $300
fine for  public consumption.

Police would not say how much marijuana was seized.

Massachusetts voters supported the decriminalization of  marijuana
last November, making possession a civil  penalty with a fine of $100.

However, the law, which went into effect in January,  carries a
stiffer penalty for minors.

"An offender under the age of 18 shall be subject to  the same
forfeiture and civil penalty provisions,  provided he or she completes
a drug awareness program,"  reads the law.

The law also includes a provision requiring that the  minor's parents
receive notification and, that, should  the offender not complete a
drug awareness program and  required community service within one year
of the  offense, the fine can be increased to $1,000.

Town Meeting has tasked the Board of Health to consider  adding a
provision regarding public consumption of  marijuana, or
tetrahydrocannabinol, to an existing  Board of Health regulation
prohibiting consumption of  tobacco in certain public areas. The board
met  yesterday morning but did not taken up the issue, and  have yet
to set a date to do so. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake