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Lothar121

Pepper Seeks Bigger Pot Penalty
Says misdemeanor treatment encourages drug markets in Cincinnati
Gregory Korte | Cincinnati Enquirer | 06/03/2005

Cincinnati City Council could vote next week on an ordinance that would criminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana - even a single joint - increasing the maximum penalty from a $100 ticket now to as much as 60 days in jail.

Possession of small amounts of marijuana - up to 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces - is a minor misdemeanor under both state law and city ordinance. The penalty is equivalent to a civil citation: up to a $100 fine with no possibility of jail.

Cops call those citations "weed tickets," equivalent to jaywalking or spitting on the sidewalk.

"This is not about marijuana per se. It's about open-air drug markets," said Democrat David Pepper, who introduced the ordinance - without any other sponsors - at Thursday's meeting of City Council.

"Right now, you'd be better off holding the marijuana in your hand than throwing it on the ground - because if you throw it on the ground, that's littering," said Pepper, who chairs the Law & Public Safety Committee. Pepper, who said he has never smoked pot, plans to hold a committee hearing Tuesday.

Because Kentucky law allows 12 months in jail and a $500 fine for holding any amount of marijuana, street-level dealers come to Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine to peddle their wares, Pepper said.

Pepper "is looking at crime in Cincinnati and looking at ways to affect it," said Capt. Paul Humphries, commander of the police department's vice and drug units. "I love the fact that this is coming to people's attention."

Advocates for the decriminalization of marijuana said the ordinance would reverse a nationwide trend toward leniency.

"People think of liberal places like California, Oregon, or New York," said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in Washington, D.C. "But I always count Ohio - the state itself - as having the most pragmatic and tolerant marijuana laws in the contiguous United States."

Those convicted of marijuana possession could be barred from certain kinds of employment, federal student loans, or from having unrelated criminal convictions expunged, St. Pierre said.

Both Pepper's council office and his mayoral campaign distributed news releases announcing the proposal.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com.

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Kannibal

So,the city goes from taking in money from small time offenders to spending many more tax dollars incarcerating small time offenders...


"Cincinnati City Council could vote next week on an ordinance that would criminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana - even a single joint - increasing the maximum penalty from a $100 ticket now to as much as 60 days in jail."



BUT! it's not about marijuana ya see...

"This is not about marijuana per se."


Well,I can certainly agree with that.What is about then?


"It's about open-air drug markets,"


I may be wrong but I am thinking this is called 'distribution'.


In order to solve the city's distribution problem originating from across the border in Kentucky where the pot laws are much more severe Mr. Pepper proposes locking anyone up for even so much as a joint.For up to 60 days.


Perhaps there is not enough info in the article.Just how bad is this percieved "open air market?" What kind of problems is the city suffering because of it if it does exsist? What are the dangers of citizens carrying a single joint to the community at large? Notice the proposal covers even a single joint..

All in all I think it is a good plan that Mr. Pepper has come up with.Well no,not really.I was a little harsh here I guess so I edited out what I really thought.

One might guess tho..

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Buzzby

Please note that this, like WI Senator Sensenbrenner's go-to-jail-if-you-know-a-potsmoker bill, is one guy's crazy idea that has no support from anyone else in his legislative body.

In most cases, taking an extreme anti-drug stance is good for a politician's career. I hope this one backfires. Ohioans are accustomed to having the country's most liberal law on marijuana possession: less than 100 grams (around 3.5 ounces) gets you a maximum $100 fine and no criminal record. It's a civil offense, like a parking ticket. It's been that way since the mid-70s.

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PotShot

So Pepper is seeking equality, as to not give any motive for "street-level dealers" to come to Cincinnati to sell. His way is to increase penalties in Cincinnati, but there is another path. Decrim in Kentucky. No motive for those nasty "street-level dealers" to come Over-the-Rhine anymore then, right?

Silly prohibitionist.

Edit:
On second thought, just legalize in Kentucky. Ohio too, Decrim is B.S., its just another way to tax.

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babe

Being from Cinci, this is alarming to me. I hope Buzzby is right and that no one will support this. What a major step backward for this cause.

 

Lothar121

Babe, welcome to the marijuana.com community! Please contact your city council member to reject this horrible proposal and urge your friends and family to do the same.

http://capwiz.com/norml2/dbq/officials/?command=local

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