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davis_squareSomerville has a well-deserved image of being a haven for offbeat and creative types, so I'm confused and disappointed to see Mayor Joe take part in a press conference opposing Question 2.
As the city's press release itself points out, "Question 2 would decriminalize marijuana use and make possession of small amounts of marijuana punishable only with a fine similar to a traffic violation." (Actually, the police can also seize the marijuana.) That seems to me like just plain common sense. It saves the city money by not wasting police and court time on prosecuting a victimless "crime".
The campaigners against Question 2 call themselves the "Coalition for Safe Streets", but this question has nothing to do with either safety or streets.
Why did you do this, Mayor Joe?
As the city's press release itself points out, "Question 2 would decriminalize marijuana use and make possession of small amounts of marijuana punishable only with a fine similar to a traffic violation." (Actually, the police can also seize the marijuana.) That seems to me like just plain common sense. It saves the city money by not wasting police and court time on prosecuting a victimless "crime".
The campaigners against Question 2 call themselves the "Coalition for Safe Streets", but this question has nothing to do with either safety or streets.
Why did you do this, Mayor Joe?
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Date: 2008-09-25 01:33 pm (UTC)I worked with addicts as well in a professional and personal setting and I completely disagree with you. I think you are confusing issues and it is hard not to when someone close to you has a drug problem. Drugs are illegal now and yet they are really really easy to get (hence your personal experience), especially when someone is an addict (they have drug-radar or something) -- and when people get caught there is a whole mess of money spent rangling them around that could be spent on more violent crime or more annoying crime like break-ins (we don't have ANY of those here in somerville). Last, I have never seen a clinical study (that isn't being paid for by a propaganda group) that showed 1. Smoking pot leads to drug addition (was it the pot smoking that led to the crack smoking or the addictive personality and depressed life?) 2. Keeping marijuana illegal deterrs use