POT POSSESSION DECRIMINALIZATION BILL APPROVED BY LEGISLATIVE PANEL

Setting up a conflict with the Romney administration, lawmakers on
Monday advanced a longstanding Beacon Hill proposal to decriminalize
the possession of enough marijuana for teens to roll dozens of
joints. Approved 6-1 by the Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Committee, the proposal would change the penalty for possessing
marijuana to a $250 civil fine for anyone caught with less than an
ounce of the drug, regardless of age. In addition, parents of those
18 years and younger would be notified of the infraction. Currently,
someone convicted of such an offense can be sent to jail for up to
six months for the crime and pay a $500 fine for a first offense.

According to Lea Palleria Cox of Concerned Citizens for Drug
Prevention Inc. and a bill opponent, an ounce of marijuana equals
roughly 57 joints. The issue has been a source of contention for
years in the Legislature, with the late Sen. Charles Shannon as its
biggest advocate. Lawmakers in the past have included a similar
provision in the budget, only to have it vetoed by former Acting Gov.
Jane Swift. Gov. Mitt Romney is also a likely opponent to the
proposal; Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey has expressed her opposition to
proposal, saying it could treat marijuana lightly under the law, and
Romney's spokesman said lawmakers should remain tough on drugs.

"Governor Romney believes we should enforce the laws against drugs,
and that we be should be careful not to suggest that we are softening
our view on marijuana use," Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's director of
communications, said in a statement. "It is important that we
continue to send a message to young people that drugs are bad for you."

But advocates of decriminalization say the 11 other states that have
taken a similar path, including California, New York, and Nebraska,
have seen no negative affects, and point to the results of
non-binding ballot questions in 2000, 2002, and 2004 when 63 percent
of voters supported the initiative in 19 Massachusetts legislative
districts. Being pushed by the Drug Policy Forum of Massachusetts,
advocates cite a 2002 report by Boston University Economist, Jeffrey
Miron that estimated marijuana possession arrests and court
processing costs for the state at $24.3 million a year. Committee
Co-Chairwoman Rep. Ruth Balser (D-Newton) said kids who are caught
with marijuana often lose their chance at going to college because
they have a criminal record.

"We don't want to ruin someone's life because of a stupid mistake,"
she said. "We're not saying it's a good thing to use marijuana,"
added Sen. Steven Tolman (D-Brighton) co-chairman of the committee.
"But it could ruin a kid's future."

Rep. Brian Wallace (D-South Boston) the lone opponent during today's
committee vote, said the use of alcohol and marijuana often leads to
the use of more harmful and addictive drugs, and for that reason,
believes the penalties should remain tough. Other opponents agree
that marijuana is a gateway to other drugs and is sending the wrong
message to teenagers.

"This flies in the face of trying to keep young people off drugs,"
said William Breault of the Main South Alliance for Public Safety in
Worcester. "But this is what we have to deal with now with this
liberal state government."