COUNCIL WANTS TO CLEAR THE AIR ON POT

Fall River - The City Council passed a resolution seeking information
from the Police Department about how the decriminalization of
possessing small amounts of marijuana has affected the city.

The resolution asks Police Chief John Souza to attend a future
meeting of its Public Safety Committee. The standing committee is
chaired by Linda M. Pereira, who proposed the resolution.

Pereira told colleagues she'd heard people being confused about the
new law, which does not legalize pot. Under the law, anyone arrested
with less than an ounce of marijuana is subject to a $100 civil fine
in lieu of criminal prosecution. The law took effect Jan. 2.

One ounce of the drug yields about 50 joints and has a general street
value of $200 to $300, law enforcement officials said.

"There seems to be many questions regarding the recent changes to the
decriminalization of marijuana," Pereira wrote in a brief resolution.

Pereira said she hopes to have a broader discussion with the police
chief at the meeting. Among issues she said concern her are the
increasing number of "no right on red" signs proliferating around the city.

"I don't know why all over the world you can turn right on red, and
in Fall River you can't," she said.