More than a thousand marijuana-related convictions dating back as far as 1969 may soon be thrown out in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell announced Thursday he has petitioned local courts to reduce, dismiss and seal a total of 1,169 marijuana cases involving 1,085 defendants. “Our office recognized the undue burden […]
marijuana arrests
Having a pound of marijuana wouldn’t get you arrested in New Jersey under a new bill
Almost all arrests for possession of marijuana would be eliminated in New Jersey if a new bill is adopted by the state legislature. The bill would not legalize marijuana — that decision is being left to the voters on Nov. 3. But the new legislation seeks to reduce cannabis users’ encounters with police. “New Jersey is […]
Despite legalization, people of color still disproportionately targeted for marijuana, new studies say
Marijuana legalization has been touted as one way to unravel the consequences of the war on drugs, but two new studies suggest that the communities most harmed by the nearly 50-year crusade — namely people of color — are not reaping the benefits. Two reports, published by the American Civil Liberties Union and a team of researchers from […]
SF district attorney to wipe out 9,000-plus pot cases going back to 1975
San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón announced Monday that his office will wipe out more than 9,000 marijuana-related convictions in an unprecedented step following California’s cannabis legalization more than two years ago. Gascón last year teamed up with Code for America — a nonprofit focused on using open-source technology to improve government — to find […]
N.J. mayors threaten to ban weed dispensaries if lawmakers don’t meet their demands
The mayors of New Jersey’s two biggest towns won’t allow marijuana dispensaries in their cities unless they are happy with how the legalization bill addresses previous weed convictions. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop joined a handful of other town leaders from across the state Wednesday to call for stronger social justice […]
Despite marijuana’s increasing legalization and acceptance, arrests soar in Philly Suburbs and South Jersey
Corey Thornton admits he gave little thought to the marijuana in his car as he drove along Germantown Pike near the Plymouth Meeting Mall in March. He was heading home to Philadelphia, where police have essentially decriminalized marijuana possession — no longer arresting thousands a year for pot but issuing a like number of $25 civil […]
Most People Won’t Be Taken Into Custody For Smoking Cannabis In Public, Under New D.C. Policy
D.C. police say they will take fewer people into custody when they are caught using marijuana in public, and instead cite them the way they would someone caught for a moving violation. The new policy was announced late Friday by Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chief Peter Newsham. It says that most arrests for the public […]
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Instructs NYPD To Stop Arresting People Smoking Marijuana
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has told top brass at the city’s police department to stop arresting people who are caught smoking marijuana in public, according to a City Hall aide. Currently, smoking in public can lead to arrest, while possession of small amounts of marijuana can lead to a summons. This weekend, […]
Despite NYC’s Lenient Pot Policy, This Shocking Marijuana Arrest Statistic Persists
Four years after New York City unveiled a new marijuana enforcement policy, lawmakers say data shows racial disparities persist in the marijuana arrest capital of the world—and blasted the NYPD for saying it’s due to complaints from communities of color. In 2014, the city unveiled a new policy whereby officers issue a summons instead of carrying out […]
Despite Being Legal, Arrests for Marijuana in the Nation’s Capital Significantly Increase
Arrests for the public use of marijuana in the District nearly tripled in 2016 and are on track to remain high in 2017, public records show. More than 400 people were arrested in 2016 for public consumption of marijuana, according to D.C. police arrest records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Records show […]
