Massachusetts - Setting up a conflict with the Romney administration, lawmakers on Monday advanced a longstanding Beacon Hill proposal to decriminalize the possession of enough marijuana for teens to roll dozens of joints. Approved 6-1 by the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee, the proposal would change the penalty for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana to a $250 civil fine for anyone 18 years old and younger. Currently, someone convicted of such an offense can be sent to jail for up to six months for the crime and pay a $500 fine for a first offense. According to Lea Palleria Cox of Concerned Citizens for Drug Prevention Inc. and a bill opponent, an ounce of marijuana equals roughly 57 joints. The issue has been a source of contention for years in the Legislature, with the late Sen. Charles Shannon as its biggest advocate. Lawmakers in the past have included a similar provision in the budget, only to have it vetoed by former Acting Gov. Jane Swift.

Gov. Mitt Romney is also a likely opponent to the proposal; Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey has expressed her opposition to proposal, saying it could treat marijuana lightly under the law, and Romney's spokesman said lawmakers should remain tough on drugs.

"Governor Romney believes we should enforce the laws against drugs, and that we be should be careful not to suggest that we are softening our view on marijuana use," Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's director of communications, said in a statement. "It is important that we continue to send a message to young people that drugs are bad for you."

But advocates of decriminalization say the 11 other states that have taken a similar path, including California, New York, and Nebraska, have seen no negative affects, and point to the results of non-binding ballot questions in 2000, 2002, and 2004 when 63 percent of voters supported the initiative in 19 Massachusetts legislative districts.

Being pushed by the Drug Policy Forum of Massachusetts, advocates cite a 2002 report by Boston University Economist Jeffrey Miron that estimated marijuana possession arrests and court processing costs for the state at $24.3 million a year.

Committee Co-Chairwoman Rep. Ruth Balser, D-Newton, said kids who are caught with marijuana often lose their chance at going to college because they have a criminal record.

"We don't want to ruin someone's life because of a stupid mistake," she said. "We're not saying it's a good thing to use marijuana," added Sen. Steven Tolman, D-Brighton, co-chairman of the committee. "But it could ruin a kid's future." Rep. Brian Wallace, D-South Boston, the lone opponent during today's committee vote, said the use of alcohol and marijuana often leads to the use of more harmful and addictive drugs, and for that reason, believes the penalties should remain tough.

Other opponents agree that marijuana is a gateway to other drugs and is sending the wrong message to teenagers.

"This flies in the face of trying to keep young people off drugs," said William Breault of the Main South Alliance for Public Safety in Worcester. "But this is what we have to deal with now with this liberal state government."

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06.n199.a04.html
Newshawk: Humphrey Ploughjogger (http://masscann.org/)
Votes: 0
Pubdate: Wed, 15 Feb 2006
Source: Newton Tab (MA)
Copyright: 2006 Newton Tab
Contact: newton@cnc.com
Website: http://www2.townonline.com/newton/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3619
Author: Amy Lambiaso, State House News Service