Marijuana as low-priority issue to be on Nov. ballot
John Willems
Issue date: 9/10/08 Section: News
The law will have an impact both on the community's perception of marijuana and on changing drug policy, Holloway said. The ordinance asks that police officers use discretion when confronting someone with amounts of marijuana that constitute misdemeanor offenses, not for amounts that constitute a felony, he said. While it is a small step, it is a step towards changing the drug policy, he said.
"Personally, I don't think there should be an arrest," Denham said. "If a police officer catches you going 35 miles an hour in a 30 mile per hour zone, he does not have to pull you over. That's his discretion."
Also, Fayetteville would be among many city and state governments that have adopted the policy of decriminalizing marijuana, including the state of Mississippi, Holloway said. Sensible Fayetteville has obtained an endorsement of the ordinance from the city of Denver, which also decriminalized marijuana, Holloway said.
"We're not being radical like some political pariah on this," Holloway said. "We are actually proposing a practical solution to the drug policy problem."
While it is not the lowest, marijuana already is a low priority for the Fayetteville Police Department, Tabor said. The department has no special investigation unit for marijuana offenses like it uses to stop driving while intoxicated, he said.
"It would be great if it really was a low priority, but the numbers don't lie," Holloway said.
Last year, the UAPD worked 12 cases involving possession of marijuana, Gahagans said.
"Frankly, we have more serious fish to fry than going after someone with a small amount of marijuana," Mayor Dan Coody said.
In 2005, more than 400 people were arrested for possession of marijuana in Fayetteville, Denham said. The state of Arkansas spends $30 million a year arresting people for marijuana use, he said.
While the ordinance received enough signatures to get on the ballot, most people on campus are not aware of it, Holloway said. It is particularly important because students with a drug offense can have their financial aid revoked, he said.
A registered student organization, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, which favors the ordinance, will meet for the first time 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Room 503 in the Arkansas Union.
"Personally, I don't think there should be an arrest," Denham said. "If a police officer catches you going 35 miles an hour in a 30 mile per hour zone, he does not have to pull you over. That's his discretion."
Also, Fayetteville would be among many city and state governments that have adopted the policy of decriminalizing marijuana, including the state of Mississippi, Holloway said. Sensible Fayetteville has obtained an endorsement of the ordinance from the city of Denver, which also decriminalized marijuana, Holloway said.
"We're not being radical like some political pariah on this," Holloway said. "We are actually proposing a practical solution to the drug policy problem."
While it is not the lowest, marijuana already is a low priority for the Fayetteville Police Department, Tabor said. The department has no special investigation unit for marijuana offenses like it uses to stop driving while intoxicated, he said.
"It would be great if it really was a low priority, but the numbers don't lie," Holloway said.
Last year, the UAPD worked 12 cases involving possession of marijuana, Gahagans said.
"Frankly, we have more serious fish to fry than going after someone with a small amount of marijuana," Mayor Dan Coody said.
In 2005, more than 400 people were arrested for possession of marijuana in Fayetteville, Denham said. The state of Arkansas spends $30 million a year arresting people for marijuana use, he said.
While the ordinance received enough signatures to get on the ballot, most people on campus are not aware of it, Holloway said. It is particularly important because students with a drug offense can have their financial aid revoked, he said.
A registered student organization, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, which favors the ordinance, will meet for the first time 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Room 503 in the Arkansas Union.
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