"Freshman Cincinnati City Councilman Cecil Thomas is proposing a city ordinance to increase the penalty for possession of any amount of marijuana less than seven ounces (200 grams) to a first degree misdemeanor that could carry a sentence of six months in jail, a fine of $1,000 and a criminal record. The present penalty under Ohio law and city ordinance for possession of less than 3 and one-half ounces (100 grams) of marijuana is a minor misdemeanor with a $100 fine, no criminal record and no jail time Retired city-policeman Thomas said his plan, “would discourage those in neighboring states from coming into the city to buy drugs,” according to the Cincinnati Post. The neighboring states of Kentucky and Indiana do both still have draconian sentences for possession of any amount of marijuana For thirty years in Ohio and a similar period in Cincinnati, Ohio’s decriminalization law has served the state and city well. Proponents of the law estimate that 8-10,000 fewer people have gone to prison as a result of the enactment of H.B. 300 in 1976, and up to 25,000 fewer people have criminal records because of it. Richard M. Wolfe who had family ties in Cincinnati and is now based in California was one of the prime movers behind the Ohio decrim legislation that was signed into law in early 1976 by then Republican Governor James A. Rhodes, one of the country’s longest serving governors (16 years). Dick Wolfe continues to be active in a number of organizations including the Drug Policy Alliance that seek to advance the cause of sensible education and treatment programs that objectively counter the fallacies of the war on drugs. Councilman Thomas chairs the Law and Public Safety Committee of Cincinnati City Council, and persuaded the Committee to refer his proposal to the City Administration headed by newly elected Mayor Mark Mallory at its meeting of February 14 for a study of its merits. The ordinance was approved by the Law and Public Safety Committee on March 15, and now awaits consideration by the full council. Last year when a similar proposal was made by then City Councilman David Pepper, activists and other council members joined efforts to stop his proposal. Pepper was subsequently defeated for Mayor last November by then State Senator Mallory and is no longer on council. Some of the same activists and council members are working together again this year, but a number of last year’s council-members are gone and new ones need to be convinced this measure is unnecessary and counter-productive. That’s why we need you. Please join us in contacting Mayor Mallory and council members in opposition to this ordinance." From: http://www.drugpolicy.org/homepage.cfm Go to the site and send a letter lets hope that were not taking a step back instead of forward.
Hey, I'm born and raised in Cinci, down here in FL you get your ass thrown in jail. So, fines have to be better than that.
We had fines now were about to get thrown in jail ITS SHITTY! (I was born in florida and rasied/live in ohio now)
yea i live in ohio...and i just gotta say...just dont carry much weed on you...leave it at your house or something..only have like a dime on you at a time...go on a country cruise with a trust worthy driver...and dont worry about it...if we smokin on a cruise or something..and we see a cop..we just keep doing what we're doing...just think of a cop car..as any other car when your drivin
