A PLEA FOR PRACTICALITY

Every year thousands of people, at a cost of millions of dollars and
massive social disruption, are held -- often for many years -- in
facilities that can be truly characterized as "snake-pits." These
people are so abused because they were found in possession of even
small quantities of a naturally occurring, but mildly euphoric,
substance. This substance is non-toxic, non-addictive, has very mild
- -- and disputed -- side effects, but also has well-accepted beneficial
medical qualities, and extraordinary industrial uses. I am talking, of
course, about marijuana.

In a new attempt to reduce the madness that possesses the government
regarding what should be, at most, a very minor social problem,
Tallahasseans for Practical Law Enforcement (TPLE) has organized a
citizen's initiative to place on the November 4th ballot an ordinance
referendum to reduce enforcement of marijuana laws to the lowest
priority for our city's police. The proposed ordinance would affect
only instances of private possession by adults of under 20 grams, and
would not affect laws regarding sale. It should be clear that this is
not a referendum to legitimize, or to even de-criminalize marijuana,
but only to make it the lowest priority enforcement issue.

TPLE calls their referendum petition the Practical Law Enforcement
Amendment (PLEA) and argue that in 2002 over 735,000 people were
arrested in the US for alleged marijuana offenses and 90% of those
arrests were for possession only. Processing all of these arrests, and
managing the various forms of punishment meted out by overworked
courts is a hugely expensive process burdening the tax-payer and
resulting in frequently inordinate and disastrous consequences not
only for the accused, but for their families as well. In Tallahassee,
Richard Bradford, campaign director of TPLE, notes that the burden of
record keeping is enough that our TPD isn't even able to determine how
many possession arrests they make in a year.

In Florida, possession of small quantities may be treated as only a
misdemeanor, but even in such cases where only a small fine or public
service is imposed upon conviction, the victim may face probation,
mandatory drug treatment, loss of driving privileges, loss of federal
educational aid, asset forfeiture, loss of public assistance, eviction
from public housing, even loss of child custody. Such disruptions have
multiplier effects that greatly expand the cost to the individual, the
individual's family and to society in general. The compounded negative
impact which the drug war is having on the US citizenry far outweighs
any positive effects -- if there are any -- of strenuously enforcing
prohibition. With all this in mind, the pro-citizen, pro-community
amendment is well designated as Practical Law Enforcement.

Calling for Tallahassee to follow the trend already established by
other cities all over the nation that have relaxed enforcement, and
the eleven states that have passed laws which decriminalize certain
personal possession, TPLE hopes to help police by relieving them of
the obligation to pursue and process minor marijuana offenders and so
allow them to concentrate their resources on protecting our community
from genuine threats to public safety such as violent crime and
reckless traffic behaviors. Also, they argue, this more rational
enforcement prioritization would greatly reduce friction at all social
and economic levels between the citizenry and our police force. Such
improved relations can only bode well for our community.

Citizens interested in seeing this sensible initiative reach the
ballot should visit TPLE's website at www.geocities.com/signtheplea/
for contact information and to read the full proposal text. Or contact
Richard Bradford directly by e-mail, signtheplea (at) aol.com, or by
phone, 850-224-0868 or 850 219-1720. TPLE is hosting a Tallahassee
Marijuana Policy Symposium, Saturday January 17th, 2003, at the FSU
Student Union Ballrooms 11:00am - 4:00pm.

[sidebar]

Florida Marijuana Laws

Possession:

20 g or less: 0-1 years; $1,000

More than 20 g: up to 5 years; $5,000

Possession of paraphernalia: 0-1 years; $1,000

Sale (any amount): up to 5 years; $5,000

Sale to minor: 15 years; $10,000

Sale within 1,000 ft of school, public housing project, or public park: 15
years; $10,000

Trafficking:

More than 100 lbs. up to 2,000 lbs: $25,000

Possession of over 20 grams is assumed to indicate intent to distribute

Driver's license suspension: 6 months

Professional licenses suspension

A vehicle can be confiscated for any felony amount

Source: Marijuana Law by Richard Glen Boire