RECONSIDER DRUG LAWS

Before reading any further, please understand I do not encourage the
misuse of drugs, nor am I trying to make an excuse for the behavior of
those who do. I am simply trying to awaken a discussion in our
community to help solve the issue of what to do about our county jail.

It is obvious that something needs to be done about the numbers of
individuals in our jail. It is also clear that our City Council wants
to be progressive. The council made this clear with the smoke-free
ordinance. So, to solve our problem, perhaps our City Council should
study the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana to help free up
jail space.

This may sound radical to some, but to others it is progressive. Keep
in mind that 12 states allow possession without having to serve jail
time. For example, in Alaska you can have 28 grams in your residence
legally. In Ohio, you can possess up to 100 grams before serving jail
time. Denver passed the Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative in
November 2005, allowing for the possession of up to 1 ounce of
marijuana for people 21 years of age or older. Even in Minnesota, you
can possess 42.5 grams before you have to serve jail time.

Wisconsin law states that possession of any amount is a misdemeanor,
and a second offense could land you a felony, thus putting people in
jail for drug possession. Keep in mind, more than 50 percent of
Americans admit to having tried marijuana, and poll after poll shows
75 percent of Americans think possession of marijuana should be
punishable by fines, not jail time. With the majority of our jail and
prison population incarcerated because of drug-related offenses, maybe
we should start to re-evaluate our drug laws in Eau Claire and Wisconsin.

Ron Rowlett

Eau Claire