Geoffrey Fieger: If I Was Mayor Of Detroit, I'd Stop Enforcing Marijuana Laws

MedicalNeed

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Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger said last year that he'd like to run for mayor of Detroit. This week, he changed his mind but offered a glimpse at what the city might look like if he were in charge.

April 15, Freep.com: "I could turn it around in five minutes," Fieger said.

"I’d shovel the snow and I’d clean the streets and parks. Then, I’d tell the police department to leave marijuana alone and don’t spend one dime trying to enforce marijuana laws. I also would not enforce prostitution laws and I’d make us the new Amsterdam."

"We would attract young people," Fieger said. "You make Detroit a fun city. A place they want to live and they would flock here."

Fieger, former Democratic nominee for Michigan governor, has never been one to shy away from controversial or bold ideas. But beyond his usual bluster, Fieger's suggestions for Detroit are not necessarily as far-out as you might imagine.

Detroit voters nearly had the chance to vote on a form of marijuana legalization last year, but in a controversial move, the Detroit Election Committee rejected the ballot proposal at the recommendation of the city's Law Department.

The Coalition for a Safer Detroit, a group that pushed the proposal and collected more than 6,000 supporting signatures, argued Detroit police have more pressing concerns that marijuana use.

"In a time of diminishing tax revenue and limited resources, Detroit law enforcement must focus on crimes which have a direct impact upon people and property in the community," read the pitch on their website.

Heck, even columnist Nolan Finley of the traditionally-conservative Detroit News recently called for the state of Michigan to legalize pot rather than sort out it's confusing medical marijuana law.

"Give it up. Stop wasting taxpayer money in a futile fight to keep marijuana away from the people who want to use it," Finley wrote. "If current trends continue, most pot users will soon have a license to smoke anyway."

This article has been edited, for the complete article use the link below.


NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Author: Jonathan Oosting
Source: mlive.com
Copyright: 2010 Michigan Live LLC
Contact: Contact Us - MLive.com
Website: Geoffrey Fieger: If I was mayor of Detroit, I'd stop enforcing marijuana and prostitution laws
 
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