Pot Criminalization: Up in Smoke?

[HairOfTheDog]

The proposal to decriminalize minor marijuana possession in NY was addressed by the state's Assembly today. While the proposal was strongly advocated by Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg, law enforcement, and a good deal of Democratic officials, the Republican-controlled Senate quashed the proposal (it was expected to pass).

Reasons cited as to why the Republican's killed the proposal:

- gateway drug (geesh)
- objection to 25 grams (estimated as 63 joints) being too large an amount to possess without arrest
- a belief by older conservative Senators that it would encourage everyone to go around smoking pot

The decriminalization measure could have prevented 50,000 low-level "stop and frisk"-generated marijuana arrests (with citations given instead) in New York State, based on last year's number. Of these arrests, 9 of 10 occurred in the city. The article touches on the challenges when NYC is pushing hard for legislation that largely affects the city, but the power/decision-making lies upstate in Albany.

Ah well, it'll hit the floor again next year, imo. Maybe with a reduction in the number of grams that can be possessed without arrest.

Disappointed.

Reference:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/nyregi...ition.html