Drugs – cannabis possession

Few cases of possession of this volume of cannabis result in
substantial county jail time. A
perpetrator is more likely to face a multi-stage disposition that may include
court supervision, payment of a fine, mandatory substance abuse counseling, and
return to the court at a later date to determine whether the disposition should
remain part of a public record that names the defendant. The legislation currently on the Governor’s
desk, SB 2228, takes steps to reclassify the possession of very small
quantities of cannabis from a misdemeanor criminal offence to a civil
offense. Instead of being arrested,
defendants would be issued a citation and face a different court process to
dispose of their case. They would pay a fine of $100 to $200 for a first offense. 16 other states have already reclassified the
possession of small quantities of cannabis as a civil offense.