Philadelphia Decriminalizes Marijuana

[The General]

On Wednesday, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter signed legislation decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana in the city. The law, which downgrades possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana to a civil offense, goes into effect Oct. 20. While the new legislation does not legalize pot in the City of Brotherly Love, it reduces penalties stemming from possession and public use to small fines and community service. It makes Philadelphia the largest city in the United States to decriminalize marijuana.

Philadelphia Magazine reports: Those possessing 30 grams or less of marijuana will be cited and fined $25. Those smoking in public will be cited and fined $100, or made to perform nine hours of community service.

Possession of amounts more than 30 grams remains a criminal offense, and people can still be arrested for failing to show ID when caught with marijuana. The city is planning an outreach campaign to educate people about the new law, which was announced last month. Councilman Jim Kenney originally proposed the amendment in May, and a compromise was reached in September.

Although Nutter has been critical of the amendment in the past, he told CBS News last month that he'd had a change of heart because too many Philadelphians were getting punished for small amounts of pot. Philadelphia's current law punishes any marijuana possession with at least a $200 fine, a drug abuse course and an arrest record.

News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Huffingtonpost.com
Author: Andres Jauregui
Contact: Contact Us
Website: Philadelphia Decriminalizes Marijuana

 

[OnlyOrganic]

So it's one big fundraiser, now. Looks like decriminalization isn't quite enough.

 

[Radogast]

Way go Philadelphia !

 

[Radogast]

So it's one big fundraiser, now. Looks like decriminalization isn't quite enough.

Reducing the fines from $200 to $25 is not a good strategy for fund raising.
They can make more money on parking tickets.

 

[OnlyOrganic]

Reducing the fines from $200 to $25 is not a good strategy for fund raising.
They can make more money on parking tickets.

The $100 fine will be much, much more common. Cutting a fundraiser in half doesn't mean that it's not still a fundraiser. It just means that it'll be much, much easier for police to hand out tickets than it will be to send people through the system. In the end, it will likely even make the state more money not having to charge people. In my opinion, this does nothing to stop good people who need Cannabis from continuing to be bullied and hassled. While I appreciate these infractions no longer going on one's criminal record... bigger steps than this are currently necessary, considering all we know about what Cannabis/Hemp can do for all life on Earth. I may seem overly critical, but I don't think that enough change will ever happen otherwise. In that way, I have trouble celebrating what others may call a small victory.

 

[Radogast]

The $100 fine will be much, much more common. Cutting a fundraiser in half doesn't mean that it's not still a fundraiser. It just means that it'll be much, much easier for police to hand out tickets than it will be to send people through the system. In the end, it will likely even make the state more money not having to charge people. In my opinion, this does nothing to stop good people who need Cannabis from continuing to be bullied and hassled. While I appreciate these infractions no longer going on one's criminal record... bigger steps than this are currently necessary, considering all we know about what Cannabis/Hemp can do for all life on Earth. I may seem overly critical, but I don't think that enough change will ever happen otherwise. In that way, I have trouble celebrating what others may call a small victory.

I'd like to agree with you, but I don't believe people have a legal right to smoke marijuana IN PUBLIC and I don't believe they have a moral right to smoke marijuana IN PUBLIC. You want to smoke anywhere anytime? You deserve a $100 ticket.

 

[c526]

should get a fine for how crappy that bag of weed in the picture looks,mexican gas tank weed looks better than that.

I have to agree with radogast, I dont want a smoking free for all,in public.

 

[OnlyOrganic]

I'd like to agree with you, but I don't believe people have a legal right to smoke marijuana IN PUBLIC and I don't believe they have a moral right to smoke marijuana IN PUBLIC. You want to smoke anywhere anytime? You deserve a $100 ticket.

I have to agree with radogast, I dont want a smoking free for all,in public.

I guess we'll just have to completely disagree on this one. We already have a smoking free-for-all, but the one that's already allowed kills millions annually. It's called cigarettes, and I refuse to live in a world with double-standards.

A world where people can smoke anywhere in order to be peaceful, calm, and loving? Sign me up. That's the world I want to live in, and that's the kind of atmosphere that's going to create a happier and healthier planet.

And as long as people have to hide their lifestyles from the public eye, we will never truly have freedom.

 

[Radogast]

I don't know where you live, but my father was part of a citizens committee that formed in 1974 and drove the 1977 smoking laws in Berkeley, Ca.

Tobacco smoking has not been a free-for-all starting 40 years ago.

Smoking laws may not have hit Kentucky until 1990, but it isn't a free for all.

Our freedom to smoke ANYTHING ends where someone else's body begins.
I don't have the right to make you do something just because I think it would be good for you.

Remember that whole life, Liberty and pursuit of happiness thing? It means you have to let everyone else pursue their happiness too, even when they do it in a really stupid way, like avoiding cannabis smoke.

 

[OnlyOrganic]

I don't have the right to make you do something just because I think it would be good for you.

This has nothing to do with the discussion here.

The reasonable statement is that I don't have the right to tell you that you can't do something that you know is good for you. That's the basis of Cannabis prohibition, and that's the philosophy you help perpetuate by stating that people should have to hide from public view.

I fail to see your perspective that people won't be able to avoid Cannabis smoke. I think it's more along the line that certain people don't like to see others smoking Cannabis. Well, that's their own issue that they need to get over. Cannabis has a false public perception of being dangerous, when it is not. And it is this irrational fear that drives people to stop others from smoking outside of their homes. Again, this does nothing but perpetuate the stereotype that Cannabis smoking is a dangerous nuisance to the public. Only when Cannabis is allowed to be consumed freely will everyone finally be able to witness the fact that it creates peace, pacifism, and love.

...you have to let everyone else pursue their happiness too, even when they do it in a really stupid way, like avoiding cannabis smoke.

Also, the "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness" argument also applies to other areas of society where freedoms are at stake. You may as well be saying that because some people don't like to see men with men, and women with women, that all homosexuals may only show affection within the confines of their own home. According to your philosophy, we shouldn't force things onto certain people that don't want to see it. But such exclusionary laws don't create happiness... only intolerance, guilt, and a failure to lovingly coexist.

To allow the misguided intolerances of another to form the ideals of a society is dangerous. Sympathizing with those who have irrational fears of Cannabis smokers is to take their side. Doing so only hurts the progression of the Cannabis movement, and does nothing to allow this plant to be used as it should. Until then, the negative stigma will always be unfairly present, and Cannabis will simply remain the "evil weed".

 

[c526]

I understand what everyone is saying,and I do agree that hiding isnt helping

My hiding is called respect,I respected my kids to never seen me "stoned"until they were 18,and ive been a daily smoker for 30 years.same with booze,its an adult plant.for recreational, any age for medicinal
you cant bang your wife/husband sitting in the park
you cant drink walking down the street
you cant smoke a joint on the side walk

there will always be laws of society,And as much as I hate"laws" there has to be some conformity

freedom to me=being able to grow what I want when I want,having as much as I want,at my home.or in designated smoking areas,same as booze.not having to sweat,someone booting my door in for 10 lousy plants,I guess I dont dream for much in my utopia.

there are people that,cant stand the smell of cannabis.My wife is a prime example,she has never smoked,ever,no edibles,nothing at all from the plant.we have been together 30 years,I have made her puke,from the smell of it,smoking,planting,she is just ultra sensitive to the smells--with that being said,she is supportive,has zero issues with it,just not her thing
So if it is a free for all,then she cant enjoy a night out,because someone wants to be able to blaze on the corner??

good thought provoking material,from everyone.We will always be on the same side,we all want the federal laws changed.

 

[OnlyOrganic]

We will always be on the same side,we all want the federal laws changed.

We may not all have the same goals and principles in mind, but you're correct in that the biggest problem to overcome is at the federal level. There are so few communities/forums to have these types of discussions, and I appreciate the conversation. Not too many words were in ALL CAPS, so that's good.

 

[c526]

You will get very few caps from me,lmao I love the discussion,and I enjoy reading the thoughts of others.I'm not a set in stone person,I take thoughts/opinions of others and sometimes what I think,is changed

 

[OnlyOrganic]

You will get very few caps from me,lmao I love the discussion,and I enjoy reading the thoughts of others.I'm not a set in stone person,I take thoughts/opinions of others and sometimes what I think,is changed

I'm the same way, always re-evaluating my own thoughts based on new knowledge and experiences. It's very healthy to be open to new perspectives, and I appreciate those who think along the same lines. I can also tell, simply by the way you write, that you're a very calm and logical communicator. Again, much appreciated. Cheers

 

[c526]

I work very hard at being a mellow person,It comes from being legally dead twice(SCA)
We only have so many moments on this rock,I wont waste any on hostility or negativity

 

[DRM Ranch]

This has nothing to do with the discussion here.

The reasonable statement is that I don't have the right to tell you that you can't do something that you know is good for you. That's the basis of Cannabis prohibition, and that's the philosophy you help perpetuate by stating that people should have to hide from public view.

I fail to see your perspective that people won't be able to avoid Cannabis smoke. I think it's more along the line that certain people don't like to see others smoking Cannabis. Well, that's their own issue that they need to get over. Cannabis has a false public perception of being dangerous, when it is not. And it is this irrational fear that drives people to stop others from smoking outside of their homes. Again, this does nothing but perpetuate the stereotype that Cannabis smoking is a dangerous nuisance to the public. Only when Cannabis is allowed to be consumed freely will everyone finally be able to witness the fact that it creates peace, pacifism, and love.




Also, the "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness" argument also applies to other areas of society where freedoms are at stake. You may as well be saying that because some people don't like to see men with men, and women with women, that all homosexuals may only show affection within the confines of their own home. According to your philosophy, we shouldn't force things onto certain people that don't want to see it. But such exclusionary laws don't create happiness... only intolerance, guilt, and a failure to lovingly coexist.

To allow the misguided intolerances of another to form the ideals of a society is dangerous. Sympathizing with those who have irrational fears of Cannabis smokers is to take their side. Doing so only hurts the progression of the Cannabis movement, and does nothing to allow this plant to be used as it should. Until then, the negative stigma will always be unfairly present, and Cannabis will simply remain the "evil weed".

There is always going to be a fine line to walk with any freedom.

A cannabis smoker and a non user each have their own reasons for being what they are. It isn't fair to force either to adjust their life to accommodate the other.

Unfortunately because the two can't coexist, one or the other, possibly both must give a little.

I think smoking a joint or smoking a cigarette are for the most part equivalent, I vape and treat it the same way I did a cigarette in public places. It's a common courtesy.

I do have to agree that partial decriminalization is mainly a way to increase revenue, as the cost of litigation is just a bit more than we can likely really imagine.

Better to legalize and tax it than nickle and dime their way to a revenue stream.

I don't know guys, I'm an agnostic republican, so my ideas tend to be a tad bit unique.

DRM Ranch

 

[geoguyonnet]

gogogo legalization