Pubdate: Sat, 01 Dec 2012
Source: Herald Bulletin, The (Anderson, IN)
Copyright: 2012 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3877
Page: A3

POLICE AROUND IND. AGAINST MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

SOUTH BEND - The Indiana State Police superintendent's opinion that 
marijuana should be legalized and taxed isn't finding much support 
among local law enforcement officials.

Superintendent Paul Whitesell responded to a question on the issue 
this week during a State Budget Committee meeting, saying that the 
drug is here to stay and pointing to voter-passed measures in 
Colorado and Washington that allow adults to have small amounts of marijuana.

Some Indiana lawmakers plan to push during next year's legislative 
session for making possession of small amounts of marijuana an 
infraction carrying a fine rather than a criminal misdemeanor, 
arguing that too much money is spent on prosecuting and jailing 
people in such cases.

St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael Dvorak said state law allows for 
first-time violators of marijuana possession laws to plead guilty and 
avoid jail time through community service, fines or drug education classes.

"For the advocates of legalizing marijuana to say that people are 
going to prison for small quantities, that's not true," Dvorak told 
the South Bend Tribune.

Vigo County Drug Task Force Detective Denzil Lewis said he believed 
decriminalization of marijuana wouldn't lead to less crime.

"To legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana does 
nothing but benefit the larger scale drug dealers," Lewis said. "... 
More people are going to want to get involved into the distribution 
of marijuana because now it's more lucrative."

A state police spokesman issued a statement Tuesday saying that 
Whitesell, an appointee of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, had given 
"a philosophical opinion," not an official one.

Republican Gov.-elect Mike Pence, who takes office in early January, 
hasn't yet announced his pick to lead the state police.

"Gov.-elect Pence opposes the decriminalization of marijuana, and he 
will base his decisions about the leadership of his administration on 
a broad range of qualifications rather than a stance on one issue," 
Pence spokeswoman Christy Denault said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom