Interesting marijuana approach (Arkansas)

[KBCraig]

To preface, I should say that Eureka Springs might be in Arkansas, but isn't really of it. It's a town that is proud of its hippie culture, and remains locked in the '60s.

They just passed a local marijuana ordinance that makes possession of 1 ounce or less the "lowest priority of law enforcement", and says that people can't be arrested, only cited.

This only applies to their police department, not county or state agencies.

Here are some articles:

http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1106/374159.html (with good reader comments)
http://lovelycitizen.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=8ec9f063-6fb1-4685-9b98-a5d08be1809a

The actual wording:
?When any law enforcement officer suspects any adult in possession of a misdemeanor amount of marijuana and/or possession of marijuana paraphernalia, that person shall not be required to post bond, suffer arrest, be taken into custody for any purpose nor detained for any reason other than the issuance of a citation. There shall be a strong presumption that the proper disposition of any such case is to suspend the imposition of sentence and/or require community service work and/or drug counseling and education.
???The message of this ordinance is that people should not use marijuana, but should also not lose opportunities for education and employment because of such use. The limited resources of law enforcement should be directed primarily toward crimes of violence or property loss. The enforcement of laws against marijuana shall be the lowest law enforcement priority.?


Anyone think that would work in NH?

Kevin

[Braddogg]

The boys at Free Talk Live have brought this up from time to time.  It seems like a fine idea.  Are there elections for Sheriff in NH?  If a libertarian became sheriff, they may be able to make this happen.

[Dreepa]

The boys at Free Talk Live have brought this up from time to time.  It seems like a fine idea.  Are there elections for Sheriff in NH?  If a libertarian became sheriff, they may be able to make this happen.

yeah we just had an election in Merrimack County.
The choice was:
GOP guy:   We need to crack down on the drug problem.
DEM guy:   We need to crack down on the drug problem.

[citizen_142002]

Sheriffs are weak in NH. Local and State Police do most of the law enforcement. The Sheriffs mostly handle prisoner transport and the like. I think the best shot at MJ law reform is through the legislature.

[dareme03244]

I believe that the time has come to decriminalize the entire cannabis sativa issue.  There is proof that occasional use of cannabis does the body good, and should be ingested on your own personal time.  I will not willingly give up my urine to anyone for testing.  Where is our freedom?  Freedom to be human.  Live Free or Die.

[KBCraig]

I believe that the time has come to decriminalize the entire cannabis sativa issue.

Welcome, dareme!

*heh-heh*... "DARE me". 

Introduce yourself and get to know us.

Kevin

[maineiac]

I just decriminalized in my house this morning . . . again.

[aries]

I wish the police here would learn.

People come to class reeking of weed every day, yet the harmless smoker that does it in private gets arrested and fined. It's a game of who can make it plainly obvious the most without actually getting detected.

[burnthebeautiful]

I wish the police here would learn.

People come to class reeking of weed every day, yet the harmless smoker that does it in private gets arrested and fined. It's a game of who can make it plainly obvious the most without actually getting detected.

I live just across the Danish border and go to Copenhagen quite often to see bands, and the attitude over there towards cannabis is completely different. Personal possession of any drug only gets you a fine in Denmark. I believe it's something like 10 dollars for soft drugs, and 40 or so for hard drugs. Every other time I'm in Denmark I see a bum rolling a joint out in plain sight, smell someone smoking a joint while walking down the street. It's not even unheard of for people to smoke joints in bars.

[aries]

I wish the police here would learn.

People come to class reeking of weed every day, yet the harmless smoker that does it in private gets arrested and fined. It's a game of who can make it plainly obvious the most without actually getting detected.

I live just across the Danish border and go to Copenhagen quite often to see bands, and the attitude over there towards cannabis is completely different. Personal possession of any drug only gets you a fine in Denmark. I believe it's something like 10 dollars for soft drugs, and 40 or so for hard drugs. Every other time I'm in Denmark I see a bum rolling a joint out in plain sight, smell someone smoking a joint while walking down the street. It's not even unheard of for people to smoke joints in bars.

The only time I've ever seen someone do it in public was in Montreal Quebec.
They have relaxed drug laws there too.
I've seen people sneak off to smoke a joint or a bowl in the trees at school, but never parade down the street with one.

[dareme03244]

I have done some researching into the "law enforcement" statistics regarding marijuana use.  There is no evidence that proves marijuana influenced drivers are dangerous.  Unlike drivers who are intoxicated, alcohol is a lot more dangerous and out of control.  Alcohol has no beneficial properties.  Cannabis has proven it has healing properties among other important attributes.  These unnecessary laws need to be taken off the books.  The original "reason" for outlawing cannabis was back in the 1930s when William Randolph Hearst who owned a very influential newspaper, and had invested large sums of money toward the development of DuPont Paints.  DuPont was the first to develop oil-based paint.  The Hemp industry was also developing their oil-based paint, which required less processing due to that it was a plant-based oil.  DuPont was using refined crude oil.  Anyways, back when there were NO LAWS to stop Yellow Journalism.  Greed to make certain his investment paid out,  William Randolph Hearst (who had a nephew in politics), gave cannabis the nickname "marijuana" which is Mexican for drug-crazed and dangerous.  His nephew contributed in passing the law in 1937 making cannabis illegal to grow and use.  Just think where this country would have been if Henry Ford was able to complete his work using Hemp oil to replace gasoline engine.