Marijuana decriminalized
Elliott Greisen | Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/13/09 Section: News
In an effort to save money, state Rep. Dave Upgrove (D-Burien) is proposing a bill that would decriminalize the possession of marijuana.
This bill would make carrying 40 grams or less of marijuana a class two civil infraction and require that a fine of $100 be paid instead of a misdemeanor charge. Under the current law you can receive 90 days in prison for possession. Last year alone there were 11,553 people arrested for marijuana possession.
Upgrove did not return any calls or e-mails pertaining to this article. Therefore all the quotes from him come from an interview given on Jan. 15, to Dave Ross on 97.3 KIRO. "This is not a proposal to legalize. It's a proposal to decriminalize it. So it would still be against the law," said. This bill does not change the status of marijuana as an illegal substance and does nothing to the provisions for those trafficking in marijuana.
If this bill takes effect it would save our state an estimated $10-20 million over the biennium, mostly for local governments, with some state savings. These savings would come from law enforcement as we would no longer be arresting and prosecuting minor offenders. "Police officers are freed up. Their time is freed up and courts are freed to pursue other types of crimes. We might have more arrests and prosecution of violent crime," said Upgrove in the same interview.
For Upgrove this is not a message bill but rather a bill that would help us reduce the budget shortfall and free up the courts. "This is a very modest and reasonable cost saving measure," said Upgrove in the same interview, "That's going to make people safer too, if you are freeing up the time of the police officers and unclogging the courts a little bit. Justice for others would happen more swiftly."
Upgrove has 12 co-sponsors for this bill, none of them republicans. He hopes to find some republican support when the bill comes to a vote. "It's a cost saving measure, a little bit reducible for government and it improves public safety. How could any republican not support it?" said Upgrove in the same interview.
When directly asked why we should decriminalize marijuana, Upgrove said, "Would you rather cut more people off of health care or would you rather find some savings this way?"
This bill would make carrying 40 grams or less of marijuana a class two civil infraction and require that a fine of $100 be paid instead of a misdemeanor charge. Under the current law you can receive 90 days in prison for possession. Last year alone there were 11,553 people arrested for marijuana possession.
Upgrove did not return any calls or e-mails pertaining to this article. Therefore all the quotes from him come from an interview given on Jan. 15, to Dave Ross on 97.3 KIRO. "This is not a proposal to legalize. It's a proposal to decriminalize it. So it would still be against the law," said. This bill does not change the status of marijuana as an illegal substance and does nothing to the provisions for those trafficking in marijuana.
If this bill takes effect it would save our state an estimated $10-20 million over the biennium, mostly for local governments, with some state savings. These savings would come from law enforcement as we would no longer be arresting and prosecuting minor offenders. "Police officers are freed up. Their time is freed up and courts are freed to pursue other types of crimes. We might have more arrests and prosecution of violent crime," said Upgrove in the same interview.
For Upgrove this is not a message bill but rather a bill that would help us reduce the budget shortfall and free up the courts. "This is a very modest and reasonable cost saving measure," said Upgrove in the same interview, "That's going to make people safer too, if you are freeing up the time of the police officers and unclogging the courts a little bit. Justice for others would happen more swiftly."
Upgrove has 12 co-sponsors for this bill, none of them republicans. He hopes to find some republican support when the bill comes to a vote. "It's a cost saving measure, a little bit reducible for government and it improves public safety. How could any republican not support it?" said Upgrove in the same interview.
When directly asked why we should decriminalize marijuana, Upgrove said, "Would you rather cut more people off of health care or would you rather find some savings this way?"
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