Lit_Match

Anti-Pot Activist Angles for 'No' Vote
07-09-08|Berkshire Eagle|By Ellen G. Lahr

It's official: Massachusetts residents will vote in November on whether to decriminalize minor possession of marijuana, and William T. Breault of Worcester is out to see that they vote "no."

Breault, an activist who heads up the Main South Alliance for Public Safety, said citizens have an obligation to get educated about the issue. He accuses the decriminalization advocates of using "deceptive tactics" to gain voter support.

The Boston-based group behind the referendum vote, the Committee for a Sensible Marijuana Policy, has received certification of its 13,481 signatures gathered to bring the issue to voters, and is now awaiting its ballot number designation from the Secretary of State's office, said spokeswoman Whitney Taylor.

The measure calls for changing minor marijuana possession — defined as less than an ounce — from a crime to a civil infraction.

The amendment would also mandate parental notification requirements for offenders under 18, plus drug awareness education and community service — consequences not included in present criminal penalties.

Taylor said the consequences of conviction for minor marijuana possession can include a criminal record that can impede a person's ability to get a job, student loan, or in some instances, access to housing.

But in his swing through Pittsfield on Monday, Breault reiterated his long-standing opposition to the decriminalization effort, and said he's seeking others to join his cause, which so far has been endorsed by district attorneys and police chiefs around the state.

He said the decriminalization effort is at sharp odds with evidence that marijuana use, particularly among teens, carries more health risks than it did years ago, when the drug had less concentrations of THC, the main psychoactive component of pot.

Breault said that in his Worcester neighborhood, he's seen people robbed, injured and killed over marijuana, and with decriminalization, those problems could escalate.

Marijuana use cited in emergency room admissions is on the rise nationally, Breault said. And contrary to what the Boston group states, he claimed that few, if any, inmates in the state's jails are sent there for minor marijuana possession alone; in local courts, it's not uncommon for first-time possession offenders to receive an eventual dismissal of the charges, with no criminal record resulting.

"The way to beat this is to energize the voters and have them look at this," said Breault.

Taylor described Breault as "a hardcore drug warrior" without much organization behind his effort.

Current Massachusetts law states that people in possession of marijuana can face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

The criminal record that results is "a black mark on his or her record that lingers long after the minor offense and jeopardizes the person's ability to obtain jobs, housing, and school loans," according the Web site, Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy.

The new law would amend marijuana possession to a civil infraction, eliminate the criminal record issue and, according to advocates, save about $29.5 million per year in law enforcement resources.

The amended law would not change current penalties for selling, growing, and trafficking marijuana, as well as the prohibition against driving under the influence of marijuana.

Local law enforcement personnel are sharply opposed to dropping the criminal penalties for possession, saying that dealers who travel with more than an ounce of marijuana can simply carry around less, to avoid criminal charges.

District Attorney David Capeless said decriminalizing marijuana will mean a proliferation of use, as dealers pick up more customers. He cited the documented health risks of marijuana use and a correlation between use among teens, depression and suicidal thoughts.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that THC increases the heart rate. A recent Yale University study also showed that THC administered to 150 health volunteers led to psychotic symptoms in 50 percent of them.

"The marijuana being pedaled today is far stronger than the marijuana being used years ago," Capeless said yesterday.

Capeless said his overriding concern is that the ballot measure "sends the wrong message to kids," who in general have been reporting less marijuana use in recent years.

Earlier this year, Capeless said roughly 4 percent of all cases that go through his office each year deal with simple marijuana possession, and that most marijuana charges are associated with other criminal activity.

To reach Ellen G. Lahr: elahr@berkshireeagle.com, (413) 496-6240.

At a glance
Current state law

People arrested with any amount of marijuana can face criminal charges, up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

Proposed change

People arrested with less than an ounce of marijuana would be charged with a civil infraction, the equivalent of a speeding ticket.

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Donation links to NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) | MPP (Marijuana Policy Project)