In November, the majority of Massachusetts voters agreed possession of less than an ounce of marijuana should be decriminalized.
An offender would now be subject to a $100 fine from the state, but would avoid being arrested. But that doesn't mean Rockland police want residents to smoke marijuana in public places throughout the town.
"It's not unlike drinking alcohol in public," said Rockland Police Chief John Llewellyn. "There's nothing illegal about an adult having a six pack of beer, but they're not allowed to sit in a public park or to walk down Main Street in any town and drink that beer. If they do drink it in a public park or on Main Street, they're subject to arrest."
Llewellyn said even though possession of a small amount of marijuana is not grounds for arrest, he said Article 45 on Monday's Town Meeting warrant would add an additional $300 fine for smoking marijuana in public, in addition to the $100 state-mandated fine.
Llewellyn said the town could not initiate a new bylaw that would make smoking marijuana in public an arrestable offense because it would not be approved by the Attorney General's office. He stressed an increased fine is another option to deter public smoking.
"What we're basically trying to do is say listen, although it's not illegal, it's not socially acceptable to walk to your kid's softball game and smoke a marijuana cigarette."
If Article 45 passes at Town Meeting, it would go to the Attorney General's office for approval. If approved, Llewellyn said the bylaw could go into affect by the fall.
He said money raised from the increased fines would be applied to Rockland's general operating budget and would not be addressed to the police department alone.
Llewellyn said it is too early in the process to estimate how much money that could generate for the town.
"I really haven't looked at it from the money standpoint, but as the social standpoint," Llewellyn said. "We don't allow people to drink beer at their kids' games, we don't think they should be allowed to smoke marijuana."
"Right now, someone could smoke a marijuana cigarette in front of town hall and all they'd get is a $100 civil fine and you don't have to pay it," added Lt. Barry Ashton. "Nothing happens, it's just an unpaid bill. They're trying to figure out a way to collect it as an unpaid bill but I don't think they can."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Wicked Local
Author: Mikaela Slaney
Contact: Wicked Local
Copyright: 2009 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Website: Rockland Looking At Imposing Extra Fine For Marijuana Use
An offender would now be subject to a $100 fine from the state, but would avoid being arrested. But that doesn't mean Rockland police want residents to smoke marijuana in public places throughout the town.
"It's not unlike drinking alcohol in public," said Rockland Police Chief John Llewellyn. "There's nothing illegal about an adult having a six pack of beer, but they're not allowed to sit in a public park or to walk down Main Street in any town and drink that beer. If they do drink it in a public park or on Main Street, they're subject to arrest."
Llewellyn said even though possession of a small amount of marijuana is not grounds for arrest, he said Article 45 on Monday's Town Meeting warrant would add an additional $300 fine for smoking marijuana in public, in addition to the $100 state-mandated fine.
Llewellyn said the town could not initiate a new bylaw that would make smoking marijuana in public an arrestable offense because it would not be approved by the Attorney General's office. He stressed an increased fine is another option to deter public smoking.
"What we're basically trying to do is say listen, although it's not illegal, it's not socially acceptable to walk to your kid's softball game and smoke a marijuana cigarette."
If Article 45 passes at Town Meeting, it would go to the Attorney General's office for approval. If approved, Llewellyn said the bylaw could go into affect by the fall.
He said money raised from the increased fines would be applied to Rockland's general operating budget and would not be addressed to the police department alone.
Llewellyn said it is too early in the process to estimate how much money that could generate for the town.
"I really haven't looked at it from the money standpoint, but as the social standpoint," Llewellyn said. "We don't allow people to drink beer at their kids' games, we don't think they should be allowed to smoke marijuana."
"Right now, someone could smoke a marijuana cigarette in front of town hall and all they'd get is a $100 civil fine and you don't have to pay it," added Lt. Barry Ashton. "Nothing happens, it's just an unpaid bill. They're trying to figure out a way to collect it as an unpaid bill but I don't think they can."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Wicked Local
Author: Mikaela Slaney
Contact: Wicked Local
Copyright: 2009 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Website: Rockland Looking At Imposing Extra Fine For Marijuana Use
