The General
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Missouri - Two Columbia residents will speak at Monday night's City Council meeting to advocate for changes in the city's marijuana ordinances. Attorney Dan Viets and MU senior Benton Berigan are both slated to speak on Columbia's marijuana law. Viets said he will ask the council to legalize personal use cultivation of marijuana for up to six plants, similar to a recently passed Colorado law.
Although Missouri has some of the most restrictive marijuana laws in the country, Columbia's ordinances are much more relaxed following two 2004 changes voted on by residents. Voters agreed to decriminalize medical marijuana by a 69-31 percent vote and to reduce the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana – under 1.25 ounces – by a 61-39 percent vote. The ordinance changes also made marijuana arrests the lowest priority for law enforcement.
Possession in that amount became a misdemeanor handled in municipal court with a maximum fine of $250 and no possibility of criminal retribution, arrest or incarceration. The ordinance was amended soon after passage to apply more stringent penalties to repeat offenders or those with a criminal record. The ordinance changes may have loosened the penalties for possessing marijuana, but owning or using marijuana for personal use is still illegal, and cultivation is also a crime. Viets says he hopes his speech will move the council to take action on the issue in the near future.
Viets is general counsel for the Missouri Civil Liberties Association. Berigan is vice president of the MU chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The two will speak during the scheduled public comment section, a time reserved at the beginning of the meeting for residents to speak on issues not appearing on the agenda. Each will be given up to three minutes to talk. Council members have the option of responding to these speeches during council comments at the end of the meeting. Currently, there are no official proposals or ordinance changes before the council relating to marijuana laws. Monday's council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Daniel Boone City Building.
News Hawk - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Columbiamissourian.com
Author: Timothy Maykander
Contact: About the Missourian - Columbia Missourian
Website: Columbia residents to ask City Council to legalize marijuana cultivation - Columbia Missourian
Although Missouri has some of the most restrictive marijuana laws in the country, Columbia's ordinances are much more relaxed following two 2004 changes voted on by residents. Voters agreed to decriminalize medical marijuana by a 69-31 percent vote and to reduce the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana – under 1.25 ounces – by a 61-39 percent vote. The ordinance changes also made marijuana arrests the lowest priority for law enforcement.
Possession in that amount became a misdemeanor handled in municipal court with a maximum fine of $250 and no possibility of criminal retribution, arrest or incarceration. The ordinance was amended soon after passage to apply more stringent penalties to repeat offenders or those with a criminal record. The ordinance changes may have loosened the penalties for possessing marijuana, but owning or using marijuana for personal use is still illegal, and cultivation is also a crime. Viets says he hopes his speech will move the council to take action on the issue in the near future.
Viets is general counsel for the Missouri Civil Liberties Association. Berigan is vice president of the MU chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The two will speak during the scheduled public comment section, a time reserved at the beginning of the meeting for residents to speak on issues not appearing on the agenda. Each will be given up to three minutes to talk. Council members have the option of responding to these speeches during council comments at the end of the meeting. Currently, there are no official proposals or ordinance changes before the council relating to marijuana laws. Monday's council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Daniel Boone City Building.
News Hawk - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Columbiamissourian.com
Author: Timothy Maykander
Contact: About the Missourian - Columbia Missourian
Website: Columbia residents to ask City Council to legalize marijuana cultivation - Columbia Missourian
