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The Lawrence City Commission is considering an ordinance to keep first-time marijuana offenders from having a state conviction on their record.
The proposal would send initial marijuana possession offenses to municipal court instead of state court, a change aimed to keep college students from losing federal financial aid. A drug conviction in state or federal court -- but not municipal court -- disqualifies students from receiving federal aid.
"If you want people to stop getting stoned all the time, you don't take their aid away and tell them they can't go to college," said Lawrence Mayor Boog Highberger. "That doesn't fit well to me."
The proposal, which is up for a vote next month, wouldn't legalize marijuana but would increase the first-time offender fine to as high as $300.
Prosecutors and police seem to approve of the switch. Police Sgt. Dan Ward said it would keep officers from spending hours on paperwork and court hearings. Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson said the change would make better use of limited court resources.
Laura Green, director of the Drug Policy Forum of Kansas, said the revised statutes could motivate those who need treatment to seek it.
"The purpose of the ordinance is to get people help if they need it -- not to just zap their wallets," Green said. "We want a healthy community, and those who have an unhealthy problem -- this is one way for them to be exposed to treatment."
Not everyone is a fan, though.
"Breaking the law is breaking the law," said 19-year-old University of Kansas student Kevin Corcoran, "no matter how silly I think the law is."
City commissioners say they have been grappling with the issue. They don't want residents to think they are being soft on crime.
There is precedent, though.
Other cities in Kansas, including Overland Park and Manhattan, already have ordinances sending first-time, small-amount marijuana possession cases to municipal court. And laws in 12 states have decriminalized possession of small amounts of pot.
Since the Higher Education Act went into effect in 2000, at least 180,000 students nationwide have lost their eligibility for federal aid because of a drug conviction.
Note: Lawrence wants students to retain financial aid.
Source: Associated Press (Wire)
Published: Sunday, January 15, 2006
Copyright: 2006 The Associated Press
The proposal would send initial marijuana possession offenses to municipal court instead of state court, a change aimed to keep college students from losing federal financial aid. A drug conviction in state or federal court -- but not municipal court -- disqualifies students from receiving federal aid.
"If you want people to stop getting stoned all the time, you don't take their aid away and tell them they can't go to college," said Lawrence Mayor Boog Highberger. "That doesn't fit well to me."
The proposal, which is up for a vote next month, wouldn't legalize marijuana but would increase the first-time offender fine to as high as $300.
Prosecutors and police seem to approve of the switch. Police Sgt. Dan Ward said it would keep officers from spending hours on paperwork and court hearings. Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson said the change would make better use of limited court resources.
Laura Green, director of the Drug Policy Forum of Kansas, said the revised statutes could motivate those who need treatment to seek it.
"The purpose of the ordinance is to get people help if they need it -- not to just zap their wallets," Green said. "We want a healthy community, and those who have an unhealthy problem -- this is one way for them to be exposed to treatment."
Not everyone is a fan, though.
"Breaking the law is breaking the law," said 19-year-old University of Kansas student Kevin Corcoran, "no matter how silly I think the law is."
City commissioners say they have been grappling with the issue. They don't want residents to think they are being soft on crime.
There is precedent, though.
Other cities in Kansas, including Overland Park and Manhattan, already have ordinances sending first-time, small-amount marijuana possession cases to municipal court. And laws in 12 states have decriminalized possession of small amounts of pot.
Since the Higher Education Act went into effect in 2000, at least 180,000 students nationwide have lost their eligibility for federal aid because of a drug conviction.
Note: Lawrence wants students to retain financial aid.
Source: Associated Press (Wire)
Published: Sunday, January 15, 2006
Copyright: 2006 The Associated Press
