NEW ORDINANCE WILL HELP MARION POLICE CRACK DOWN ON MARIJUANA
USE

MARION -The Marion Police Department will be better equipped to
control the marijuana trade and use in Marion thanks to a new
ordinance passed Monday night by the city council.

Prior to the new law, the police were hampered in dealing with
individuals who were in possession of drug paraphernalia. According to
the wording of the ordinance this would include: "all equipment,
products, and materials of any kind which are intended to be used
unlawfully in planting, propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting,
manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing,
preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing,
containing, concealing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise
introducing into the human body cannabis or a controlled substance in
violation of the law."

It will also be illegal for anyone to possess 10 grams or less of any
substance containing cannabis. The State of Illinois takes over
jurisdiction when the amount reaches 10 grams or more.

The penalties include a minimum fine of not less than $250 and no more
than $750. In addition, any person who violates any provision of this
act will receive court supervision or probation and will be assessed
an administrative fee of $100. Also any items which may be seized in
carrying out this law may be forfeited.

Both Police Chief Gene Goolsby and Assistant Chief John Eibeck were
unavailable for comment, but speaking for the MPD, Officer Mike Baxter
said that this law was geared to deal with the lower amounts and was
patterned after an existing ordinance in Carbondale.

"This law allows for arrest with just a preponderance of evidence,"
Baxter said. "Using our field testing kits, a positive would give us
that preponderance. We can not send such small amounts to the state
crime lab due to the volumn of work they have and this will give us an
avenue to pursue smaller cases without calling in the state."

The law will be published for 10 days and after that time it becomes
effective.