BEACON – Saying the physical harms and societal risks associated with the use of marijuana are not significantly greater than those associated with the use of alcohol and tobacco, the Beacon City Council will consider a resolution supporting state legalization of recreational marijuana by adults.
The measure, which points to the widespread enforcement of marijuana laws being tougher on black people than on whites, also calls on Congress to adopt legislation that would amend federal law to allow states and localities “to remove sanctions from the possession and use of marijuana and to implement programs to tax and regulate marijuana.”
In the meantime, the proposed Beacon law would make the enforcement of marijuana offenses “the city’s lowest law enforcement priority.” The measure lists law enforcement activities related to marijuana offenses as, but not limited to, investigation, citation, arrest, seizure of property and providing assistance to the prosecution of marijuana offenses.”
