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Chicago, IL, Sep. 20 (UPI) -- Chicago police are studying a plan to ticket pot smokers instead of arresting them for possession of small amounts of marijuana, reports said Monday.
Ticketing was suggested by a sergeant in the South Side Wentworth District who said judges typically dismiss low level marijuana possession charges and almost no one goes to jail.
Pot possession would be treated much like a traffic offense under Sgt. Tom Donegan's seven-page proposal.
Donegan estimates the city would have collected almost $5 million in fines last year if people possessing 2.5 to 10 grams of marijuana had to pay $250 each time they were caught.
Court records show 94 percent of pot possession cases under 2.5 grams were tossed out.
"The argument that always comes up is that this involves decriminalizing marijuana," Donegan told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Rather, this proposal will increase the number of people who are actually penalized for their possession of lesser amounts of cannabis."
washingtontimes
Sep. 20
© 2004 News World Communications, Inc.
This story is no longer available - Washington Times
Ticketing was suggested by a sergeant in the South Side Wentworth District who said judges typically dismiss low level marijuana possession charges and almost no one goes to jail.
Pot possession would be treated much like a traffic offense under Sgt. Tom Donegan's seven-page proposal.
Donegan estimates the city would have collected almost $5 million in fines last year if people possessing 2.5 to 10 grams of marijuana had to pay $250 each time they were caught.
Court records show 94 percent of pot possession cases under 2.5 grams were tossed out.
"The argument that always comes up is that this involves decriminalizing marijuana," Donegan told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Rather, this proposal will increase the number of people who are actually penalized for their possession of lesser amounts of cannabis."
washingtontimes
Sep. 20
© 2004 News World Communications, Inc.
This story is no longer available - Washington Times
