# Marijuana decriminalization law goes into effect



## FruityBud (Jan 2, 2009)

It's no longer a crime to have one ounce or less of pot. The state's new marijuana decriminalization law, approved by voters in a November referendum, goes into effect today.

Those who are caught with an ounce or less would get a ticket similar to a building code citation. They could appeal the civil infraction in court within 21 days or pay a $100 fine set in the law. Juvenile violators would have to pay the fine and attend a drug abuse counseling course, or have the fine increased to $1,000.

The state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security released guidelines Monday in response to questions about the law. The state noted that the new statute applied to all substances that contain THC, which includes hashish and hash oil. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the active ingredient in marijuana that gives users a high.

The state also asked communities to consider passing local ordinances criminalizing the use of marijuana in public, which today is only a civil offense if the smoker possesses an ounce or less.

*hxxp://tinyurl.com/8cue88*


----------



## godspeedsuckah (Jan 2, 2009)

Is this in Mass FruityBud?


----------



## mobdaily (Jan 2, 2009)

yea just wondering is this in every state or only some bc i live in maryland and i really doubt they would pass something like that here


----------



## umbra (Jan 2, 2009)

its Mass


----------



## SmokinMom (Jan 2, 2009)

Wish it was Texas!!!


----------



## FruityBud (Jan 2, 2009)

Yes, this is for Massachusetts only.


----------



## mobdaily (Jan 2, 2009)

oh well arent you guys lucky lol well hopefully that law will be passed in all the states but until then we'll still get hassled by leo


----------



## umbra (Jan 2, 2009)

Obama tokin' is a great avatar, LOL


----------



## noneedforalarm (Jan 2, 2009)

Great post fruity,as for the site which the article is on is total ignorance at its finest.plz anyone who bothers reading this and is interested,make your way over to the link posted by fruity and read the horrible comments made by some of the users.it really is infuriating.one small step at a time for us on this topic,but once we get to the top we will be a permanent force.


----------



## Elven (Jan 2, 2009)

SmokinMom said:
			
		

> Wish it was Texas!!!



LOL they will change the state flag to a rainbow before they do that  TX is crazy on the laws.


----------



## WeedHopper (Jan 2, 2009)

SmokinMom said:
			
		

> Wish it was Texas!!!


 
I was born and raised around Dallas most my life untill I moved to Florida 3 yrs ago. Laws a little better in Texas then here in Florida.


----------



## Elven (Jan 2, 2009)

I am not sure if its still this way in the lone star, but when I lived there in 95 it was actually illegal to have purchased an adult movie that had a picture of ANYONE with ANYTHING in the butt  so all the movies had parts cut out. of the box.

EDIT Damn I love smoking pot, the messed up winters in TX would have been much easier if I had smoked back then.


----------



## SmokinMom (Jan 2, 2009)

The winters are perfect Elven.  It was 80 today.....may have snow next week.


----------



## Elven (Jan 2, 2009)

SmokinMom said:
			
		

> The winters are perfect Elven.  It was 80 today.....may have snow next week.



Well I lived in this odd little town near the panhandle called Hell I mean Wichita Falls and besides the fact that there was a temp swing of like 90 degrees in one night made me believe that God hates Wichita Falls.


----------



## WeedHopper (Jan 2, 2009)

Elven said:
			
		

> Well I lived in this odd little town near the panhandle called Hell I mean Wichita Falls and besides the fact that there was a temp swing of like 90 degrees in one night made me believe that God hates Wichita Falls.


 
I had kinfolk in Iowa Park, I think was the name of the town. Had alot of oil derrecks and rattlesnakes.


----------



## NorCalHal (Jan 3, 2009)

Nice Job Mass! This is the same in Cali. for non MMJ folks.


----------



## GuerillaGrower420 (Jan 6, 2009)

Hope this goes into effect for all states soon


----------



## Exarmy (Jan 8, 2009)

SmokinMom said:
			
		

> Wish it was Texas!!!


 
you and me both


----------



## TommyBres (Jan 8, 2009)

SmokinMom said:
			
		

> Wish it was Texas!!!


Actually, do some research but I'm pretty sure I saw something where Texas is trying to make medical use an acceptable defense to a marijuana arrest. This would mean you would still be arrested, but if you could present a doctor's recommendation at your court date that's all you need. It's not quite as good as Cali's no-arrest system, but hell, it's better than nothing.


----------



## Elven (Jan 8, 2009)

TommyBres said:
			
		

> Actually, do some research but I'm pretty sure I saw something where Texas is trying to make medical use an acceptable defense to a marijuana arrest. This would mean you would still be arrested, but if you could present a doctor's recommendation at your court date that's all you need. It's not quite as good as Cali's no-arrest system, but hell, it's better than nothing.




That would be awesome! Although it would warp my sense of reality to the breaking point.


----------



## TommyBres (Jan 9, 2009)

Elven said:
			
		

> That would be awesome! Although it would warp my sense of reality to the breaking point.


Haha I know, I read a story on it and my mind just stopped... It was like... Wait, *TEXAS?!*


----------



## dubblehue (Jan 9, 2009)

I live in in MA and there is a lot of controversy about this, like what to do with kids who are caught on school grounds, packaging for distribution vs total weight, things like are cops going to carry around scales to measure weight on the spot etc etc. The funny thing about the decriminalization is that there are a lot of cops out here in my part of MA who already turned a blind eye to weed in small amounts before this law passed...I've had first hand experience being searched by cops who have just tucked my bag back into my pocket and ignored it. But maybe that's cuz I'm a clean cut, well employed white kid and don't fit the criminal profile.


----------



## blitzkriegbetty (Jan 10, 2009)

Unfortunately, I doubt this will ever happen in Alabama. We'd probably still have segregation if most of the idiots down here had their way =/


----------



## Resa (Nov 16, 2009)

hmm im in louisiana and i think we have that 1 oz law too! my husbands friend said he was caught with an ounce and only got a ticket and ugh of course confiscated his stash, that he was totally gonna split with us


----------



## OldHippieChick (Nov 16, 2009)

TommyBres said:
			
		

> Actually, do some research but I'm pretty sure I saw something where Texas is trying to make medical use an acceptable defense to a marijuana arrest. This would mean you would still be arrested, but if you could present a doctor's recommendation at your court date that's all you need. It's not quite as good as Cali's no-arrest system, but hell, it's better than nothing.


 
Thats not quite right - there was ONE case .... the case was in Amarillo I think.... A man beat the case with the help of NORML legal representation on the grounds that he would qualify for medical marijuana in any other state that has a MMJ law. I think I read about it on the NORML Texas site. Still - if and when it comes to the voters and not one single judge - it'll never happen - this is a crooked state owned by self serving fat cat republicans who have successfully manipulated the right wing coalition with lies and fear mongering . As long as there's a way to fill the prisons and produce jobs and keep the devide the republicans will. I DO WISH TEXAS WOULD SUCCEED and force the fed gov to blow it up. But I digress....
OHC


----------



## legalize_freedom (Nov 16, 2009)

I got busted in the Austin airport for 2 1/2 grams in 94, boy them guys acted like they had a kingpin..lol.  I sat in the Austin city jail for 5 days until my wife at the time arranged for an attourney.  They would not let me out on a pr bond, because I had an out of state dr. license, afraid I'd book, which I probably would have at that time.  I ended up getting it dropped to pos. of paraphanelia, after about 1000 bucks in lawyer fees and fines...that was an expensive joint!


----------

