Decision might come today on renewing city pot penalty

BY JANE PRENDERGAST | March 28, 2007

 

City Council could decide today whether to continue making people caught with small amounts of marijuana face tougher penalties than they do elsewhere.  The city's ordinance that increased the penalty from a $100 ticket to a $250 fine and up to 30 days in jail expires at the end of this week. Council members are considering whether to extend it indefinitely.

 

Police Chief Tom Streicher wants them to. He says it gives officers another avenue to get guns and drugs off the streets.  But council chambers were filled Tuesday with people who think the measure only clogs the crowded Hamilton County Jail and invites police officers to target poor people and minorities.  Among them: former mayoral candidate Justin Jeffre, former member of the band 98°. With a hand-rolled cigarette behind one ear, he told council's Law and Public Safety committee that the law is "disgusting."

 

Read full article here:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070328/NEWS01/703280413/1056/COL02

It passed.

Tarbell & Crowley spoke and voted against it.

Bortz & Berding spoke in favor of it.

I sure hope so. Cincinnati can't even begin to imagine how many people they are turning away because of such a ridiculous law, not to mention it will disproportionately and unjustly oppress the poor/minorities. I will never set foot in that city again as long as this ordinance is in effect, and I don't even smoke weed.

 

Lets be honest you were never planning on setting foot in Cincinnati.  You've been bent on Cincy since your crappy family vacation years ago.  Get over it dude!

  It just doesn't make any sense at all to throw people in jail for possession of Gods herb, when for years they've been bitching about an overcrowded jail.

  I guess let a few rapists and murderers out early to make room for people who smoke what technically shouldn't even be considered a drug. It's a freakin natural plant.