cannabisnews.com: Group Wants Leniency in Pot Laws Group Wants Leniency in Pot Laws Posted by CN Staff on November 30, 2006 at 09:34:02 PT By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press Sumner, Maine -- An organization that advocates for reform of marijuana laws is moving forward in its campaign to make marijuana offenses the lowest law enforcement priority in small towns across western Maine.The Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative has submitted petitions to officials in five towns calling for marijuana possession and use to be put low on the priority list of local police. Next year, voters in the Oxford County town of Sumner will vote on a local ordinance that would make adult marijuana-related offenses the "lowest law enforcement priority" in town. A similar proposal could be considered at annual town meetings in Farmington, Paris, West Paris and Athens, where petitions have been delivered to local officials.Jonathan Leavitt, executive director of the nonprofit Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative, said the strategy is to get the ordinance passed in several small towns before moving on to larger communities."The purpose of the ordinance is to let the county, state and federal government know that many people believe the marijuana laws are not working," Leavitt said.In Farmington, Police Chief Richard Caton said townspeople need to consider what type of people might be drawn to town if the ordinance is enacted. Police also will have to figure out how to fulfill their oaths to uphold state and federal laws while still obeying the local ordinance, he said."A better way, if this is the sentiment of the people, is to change the state and federal laws," he said.Farmington Town Manager Richard Davis said he is seeking a legal ruling from the Maine Municipal Association to see how the proposed ordinance squares with state law.Leavitt, who lives in Sumner and is a Green Party activist, said the ordinance would prohibit communities from accepting state or federal funds that would go toward the enforcement of marijuana laws.It would also require police to submit reports on the number and type of marijuana arrests to each municipality that adopts the ordinance, he said. Furthermore, it would require municipalities to notify state and federal officials that they have de-prioritized adult marijuana crimes and to request that the federal and state governments take steps to legally tax and regulate marijuana use, cultivation and distribution.Current marijuana laws, Leavitt said, are costing taxpayers millions of dollars a year to enforce while blocking "what could be a real significant and sustainable commerce in hemp."Leavitt presented a petition on Monday to the Sumner selectmen, who then passed a motion to include the ordinance on the August town meeting warrant.There's no local police department in Sumner, and state Rep.-elect Teresea Hayes, D-Buckfield, asked what good the ordinance would do since the town has no input on how the Oxford County Sheriff's Department provides law enforcement.The town, she added, does not have the authority to opt out of the part of the county budget used for marijuana enforcement.Lt. Hart Daley of the Oxford County Sheriff's Department said he was unaware of the petitions, but said the department would continue enforcing drug offenses where it provides law enforcement regardless of the outcome of campaign."We still consider drug offenses on the top of the list of our priorities," Daley said.MMPI is funded through grant money from the national Marijuana Policy Project as well as donations. The group formed in April and opened an office in Lewiston in June.Source: Associated Press (Wire)Published: November 30, 2006Copyright: 2006 Associated Press Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by FoM on December 01, 2006 at 14:15:42 PT cannabliss I know what you mean. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by cannabliss on December 01, 2006 at 12:17:21 PT FoM - debt Absolutely...fortunately, I have not received any threatening phone calls during dinner from the Chinese government yet. ;-) [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on December 01, 2006 at 11:55:04 PT cannabliss I think that our country is like a person who runs up an out of control credit card debt. That's where we are I think. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by cannabliss on December 01, 2006 at 11:51:52 PT Collapse I didn't mean that the US would literally split up (though maybe I'd move here http://zapatopi.net/cascadia/ if that happened), but more that the societal cost (both financial and human) of the WOD will eventually catch up with us, and it will collapse of its own weight. Not because a bunch of people said "hey, freedom is actually pretty good", but because tyranny just got too expensive. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Storm Crow on December 01, 2006 at 10:16:44 PT Anyone ever hear... About the "State of Jefferson? Some of the folks are somewhat serious about the State of Jefferson up here. Things keep going with the government, the way they have been lately, starting a new state government doesn't sound like too bad of an idea! http://www.jeffersonstate.com/ That barn is only about 25 miles from my home- just down the road from it is the famous "Moodonna"- an oversized metal sculpture of a cow right in the middle of nothing but rolling hills with cattle and the occational farm house. Lots of mavericks living around here. We may secede yet! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by whig on December 01, 2006 at 08:49:39 PT re: Soviet Union analogy If you were able to get out of Russia and into one of the more liberal former republics, it's a lot better now. East Germany is now part of a unified Germany -- as troubling as that could be down the road....But anyhow, I think the analogy holds, if the fed breaks down the California republic is a good distance and capable of functioning autonomously. Not that this is perfect here, either -- yet. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by whig on December 01, 2006 at 08:47:02 PT cannabliss I'm at a loss for what to suggest on this problem, at least right now. I think that if the federal government falls down, there will at least be a chance to preserve what works and fix what doesn't in states like California. Well, no, actually I don't. I think they all fall down, but we can at least limit the damage and proclaim them as refuges for the sick. So basically, if you're in another state where cannabis isn't legal for even medical use, if you don't feel confident going up to defend a religious use, and you want some safety -- go West.For those already imprisoned, though -- I can only hope they will find their way to freedom too. I miss Jerry's posts, and I hope he will be released sooner rather than later. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by cannabliss on December 01, 2006 at 07:38:25 PT whig I wish it were true. I think it's going to be more like the Soviet Union though. It's not going to fall because someone actually wakes up and says "this is a really bad idea", but it is going to very slowly collapse under its own weight. In the meantime, a lot of otherwise innocent lives will be ruined. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by whig on November 30, 2006 at 17:35:30 PT cannabliss Are we near the time we will free all cannabis prisoners? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by cannabliss on November 30, 2006 at 15:19:46 PT Prisons Check this out (note the picture is from a Maine prison):http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061130/ap_on_re_us/prison_population_3 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 30, 2006 at 10:52:45 PT Pro-Pot Forces on Move in Towns By Tom Standard and Judith Meyer , Special to the Sun Thursday, November 30, 2006 SUMNER - Next year, voters in this tiny town of just over 800 people will vote on a first-of-its-kind ordinance in Maine. Its title? "An Ordinance to Make Adult Marijuana-Related Offenses the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority in the Town of Sumner."A similar article to de-prioritize marijuana possession and use will be considered at Farmington's annual town meeting, and may also be considered at town meetings in Paris, West Paris and Athens, where petitions have been signed and delivered.Jonathan Leavitt presented Sumner selectmen with the citizens' petition on Monday and recommended the town "let law enforcement do what it does best - that is, enforce laws people support."Leavitt, a Green Party activist, lives in Sumner and is executive director of the nonprofit Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative. MMPI is headquartered in a storefront on Lisbon Street in Lewiston near the police station.The strategy of people supporting the ordinance is to get it passed in several small towns before moving on to larger cities, explained Leavitt. Petitions are being circulated in other Maine communities, including Starks, Norway, Denmark and Lincoln.Complete Article and Comment Section: http://www.sunjournal.com/story/187797-3/OxfordHills/Propot_forces_on_move_in_towns/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment