Lit_Match

Is Marijuana Not that Important?
10-06-08|Today's THV|By: Ebone' Mone't

A group in Fayetteville wants marijuana possession to take a back seat to other crimes. The group, Sensible Fayetteville, gathered more than 3,000 signatures to get a proposal on the November ballot.

The proposal would make marijuana possession a low priority for police. However even if people in Fayetteville vote to make marijuana a lower priority for police, it might not change anything.

In Arkansas if a person is convicted of marijuana possession, for a second time it's a felony, meaning possible prison time. Glen Schrwarz wants that changed.

"The real crimes, violent crimes, crimes against property, and people are far more important than busting people for personal choice," says Schrwarz.

Schwarz worked with Sensible Arkansas gathering signatures to get an ordinance on Fayetteville's November ballot, to make misdemeanor marijuana possession law enforcement's lowest priority.

In the past three years, Fayetteville police have made more than 300 misdemeanor marijuana arrests.

The vote won't necessarily change the way police handle these cases, because state and federal drug laws supersede city ordinances. In fact, in Eureka Springs, the number of misdemeanor marijuana arrests went up since the lower priority ordinance was passed.

"It fills the jails with non-violent criminals it's a violation of our rights and it's totally unnecessary to have these kinds of penalties on the law books," says Schwarz.

Lt. Terry Hastings with the Little Rock Police Department says most agencies don't actively go after people with small amounts of marijuana. Instead police make these arrests when going after other crimes. Still Lt. Hastings says making any amount of marijuana possession legal is a bad idea.

"A lot of our homicides have been tied back to Marijuana, marijuana sell and distribution, so it is a problem," says Hastings.

Schwarz says no matter the out come of the up coming vote he and others will work to decriminalize firing up a joint for personal use.

The Fayetteville Police Department says misdemeanor marijuana possession is already a low priority for the department.

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