Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Harrisburg has become the third city in the state to decriminalize possession of a small amount of marijuana.
The capital city's council unanimously voted Tuesday to make possession or usage a summary offense punishable by a $75 fine for first and second offenses, various media outlets reported. A third offense would be considered a misdemeanor.
But don't light up yet: The law takes effect in early October.
"We don't want to condone the use of marijuana, but we want to make sure that it's not impeding on anyone's life," ABC27 reported councilman Cornelius Johnson as saying.
Marijuana convictions have "held people back in life whether it's through employment, housing opportunity, student aid financing, so we're hopeful that through reducing this to fines that it's more fitting of the actual crime," he said, according to the station.
PennLive reported council made the change "to increase police officers' efficiency and free up their limited time. Previously, officers were required to appear in court for every marijuana possession case and the district attorney often reduced the penalty to fines anyway."
Harrisburg joins Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in decriminalizing marijuana.
Les Stark of the Keystone Cannabis Coalition told ABC27 that although his organization initially thought the fine structure was too high and opposed making a third offense a misdemeanor, it was pleased with the compromise.
His organization will continue to work on Reading, York, and Lancaster as well as at the state level, he said.
"We can't have a patchwork quilt of hodgepodge rules and regulations ordinances throughout the state," Fox43 reporting Stark as saying. "We need something more uniform and hopefully what Harrisburg is doing is leading the way and providing a model also for other communities."
Lancaster officials, however, have expressed no interest in decriminalizing marijuana.
And Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray and council President John Graupera haven't changed their mind based on what Harrisburg's done.
Gray has said it may be time to look at decriminalization, that's something that should happen at the state level, not locally.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Harrisburg Decriminalizes Marijuana
Author: Dan Nephin
Contact: (717) 291-8622
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Website: Lancaster Online
The capital city's council unanimously voted Tuesday to make possession or usage a summary offense punishable by a $75 fine for first and second offenses, various media outlets reported. A third offense would be considered a misdemeanor.
But don't light up yet: The law takes effect in early October.
"We don't want to condone the use of marijuana, but we want to make sure that it's not impeding on anyone's life," ABC27 reported councilman Cornelius Johnson as saying.
Marijuana convictions have "held people back in life whether it's through employment, housing opportunity, student aid financing, so we're hopeful that through reducing this to fines that it's more fitting of the actual crime," he said, according to the station.
PennLive reported council made the change "to increase police officers' efficiency and free up their limited time. Previously, officers were required to appear in court for every marijuana possession case and the district attorney often reduced the penalty to fines anyway."
Harrisburg joins Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in decriminalizing marijuana.
Les Stark of the Keystone Cannabis Coalition told ABC27 that although his organization initially thought the fine structure was too high and opposed making a third offense a misdemeanor, it was pleased with the compromise.
His organization will continue to work on Reading, York, and Lancaster as well as at the state level, he said.
"We can't have a patchwork quilt of hodgepodge rules and regulations ordinances throughout the state," Fox43 reporting Stark as saying. "We need something more uniform and hopefully what Harrisburg is doing is leading the way and providing a model also for other communities."
Lancaster officials, however, have expressed no interest in decriminalizing marijuana.
And Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray and council President John Graupera haven't changed their mind based on what Harrisburg's done.
Gray has said it may be time to look at decriminalization, that's something that should happen at the state level, not locally.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Harrisburg Decriminalizes Marijuana
Author: Dan Nephin
Contact: (717) 291-8622
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Website: Lancaster Online
