Should Marijuana Laws In Washington be More Lenient

Q13 FOX News Online Staff

February 10, 2009

The Washington Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday morning on Senate Bill 5615, a bill that would reclassify possession of small amounts of marijuana from a misdemeanor, carrying mandatory jail time, to a civil infraction and a $100 dollar fine.

According to the Washington A.C.L.U., In 2007, enforcement of Washington laws for possession of marijuana resulted in over 11,000 arrests, 3,600 convictions (with an average sentence of four days in jail), and cost an estimated $7.5 million dollars.

The A.C.L.U. says it supports Senate Bill 5615 sponsored by Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles.

Alison Holcomb with the A.C.L.U. says: "We don't believe adults who use small quantities of marijuana for personal use should be treated as criminals."

Some Washington police officials see it differently.

Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer says he fears, if passed, this could open the door to further legalization and he says he doesn't want to make the drug more attractive than it may already be.

He goes on to says; "People might have a tendency to say well it's not going to be a criminal offense. It's not going to affect my job... It's not going to affect anything else involving what a criminal matter would and so why don't I try it... And I don't want to do that."

The Senate hearing starts Tuesday morning at 10am in Senate Hearing Room 1 of the J.A. Cherberg Building at the State Capitol.




So they are thinking that not wearing your seat-belt is bigger deal than possessing a controlled substance? Not that I have a problem with pot smokers, but I am not sure I agree with that one.