Maryland’s Decriminalization of Marijuana, Close but no Cigar

Use the result to fix the problem

Maryland’s Marijuana decriminalization(bill includes Washington D.C.) should appease the likes of Whoopi Goldberg and Jesse Jackson (yes he’s a cannabis supporter, to see other famous supporters check the NORML.org webpage). Which also means that Charlo Greene ‘s efforts are paying off outside of Alaska’s Cannabis Club right? Well not really, in the state of Maryland the use of marijuana is still illegal. In fact the new law is nothing more than a term switch, an attempt at tracking and targeting smokers and an overall bad sidestep that’s going to cause huge headaches for local government and law enforcement workers in the long run. Decriminalization is nothing more than avoidance of the real issue, marijuana’s legalization.

#LegalizenotDecriminalize

The law took effect on October 1, 2014 and it rolls possession of marijuana down to a ticket-able offense. Under the new law marijuana users will be ticketed and civil fines imposed for the first three possessions. Of course each ticket will be higher than the last. The full details of the bill are discussed at the Maryland Policy Project. 18 other states have similar bills on the books. Without going into the federal boneheads, their archaic class system in ranking drugs or their absurd notion that smoking marijuana isn’t comparable to drinking alcohol, let’s look solely at the local implications of Maryland’s new bill.

#FederalBoneheads #LocalLunacy

Decriminalization is basically acknowledging defeat of an issue that is still technically wrong. The drug’s downgrading to a ticketed offense makes it comparable to speeding. Everyone does it but don’t get caught echoes in the back of my mind. One question though, isn’t it still as dangerous as it was on Sept 30th? It’s still a schedule 1 drug so I guess heroin and LSD will be ticket-able offenses next and cocaine legalized. Is this the local government saying, “Hey we can’t control it so we may as well profit from it by writing tickets?”  Well if it is, I guess heroin and coke will definitely be legalized shortly. All of the police activity in the city this weekend suggests that this is already the case; however a closer look at the implications of the bill reveals the state’s ulterior motives.

#SmokebutStayWoke

In case you didn’t know Maryland has been in the top 5 for marijuana arrests since 2007; some 22,043 arrests for marijuana a year. Furthermore, convictions count for about 28.3%(2003) of all drug convictions, and we know how important conviction numbers are to “the man”. Local government isn’t throwing away a “cash cow,” they are dressing it and selling it as the world’s prettiest bull. The new law allows ticketing for the first few offenses; but what then? Yep,you guessed it. The state then has the option of imposing jail time. Guess what those other tickets then become, evidence of a steady problem. Now I’m no lawyer, but sounds like the state is setting someone up for an easier fall.

#BmoreCareful

To the boyz in blue don’t let the local government hang you out to dry like this. This ticketing process is going to mean more civil rights issues and more undue scrutiny by other entities. The whole ticketing process will mean more contact with the public that doesn’t result in an arrest. Not saying that successful arrests can’t go bad but how many “in the moment” crusaders are going to claim that they are targets or subject to profiling after the second ticket? Not to mention the hassle of going to court for the ticket, because I’m sure there will be a plethora of court cases that result from them. After all local law enforcement has enough issues to worry about with the federal government’s probe into the Baltimore city police department pending.

#BmoreBlue

Martin, it’s time to get real. Stop bending halfway on issues and hoping to keep constituents, no one is fooled. It’s obvious that the federal government’s take on things is wrong. You’ve already enacted a bill that amounts the drug use to speeding. Why not just legalize it, setup state-run dispensaries comparable to state-run liquor stores? Allot part of the sales to education and children’s welfare, part to drug awareness and treatment programs and hell, stick the rest in your pocket. Even if there’s not enough to fix the states deficit, at least it’s a fresh take on the obviously lost war on drugs. Seriously Governor O’Malley,  let’s just avoid this headache before it starts.

#TylenoltheNightBefore #ResultsfixtheProblem

What do you think? Is the decriminalization bill the right way to go or is it just another ploy to get arrests numbers up, making local law enforcement look better? Do you think that it will backfire and make them look worse than they do now? Do you think that Marijuana should be legalized? Is the state wasting another opportunity to make some desperately needed cash? Leave a comment below.

#CloseButNoCigar #PersecutedKnowledge #PersecutionIsInevitable

Persecution

For more information:

States that have decriminalized

Md rate of Marijuana possession arrests

Maryland Policy Project

NORML.org

Marijuana Legalization Organization