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How the Lehigh Valley’s weed arrest rate stacks up nationally

Cannabis plants
13 Jun

The Lehigh Valley’s arrest rate for marijuana is higher than that of most states, including all of Pennsylvania.

That’s according to an NJ Advance Media analysis of crime statistics from Pennsylvania State Police and FBI arrest data compiled by Jon Gettman, criminal justice professor at Shenandoah University in Virginia.

It’s something that Lehigh Valley elected officials are trying to change.

Austin American-Statesman via AP

Credit: www.lehighvalleylive.com

Bethlehem City Council members last Tuesday gave unanimous approval on the first of two votes to give police the option of filing a summary offense against those caught with marijuana for personal use. Mayor Bob Donchez said he’s leaning toward signing the measure following final approval expected June 19.

The proposal is identical to a bill that narrowly passed Allentown City Council and was signed into law last month by Mayor Ray O’Connell. That appears to mean little, however, since city police Chief Tony Alsleben is following Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin’s directive to enforce the state law on marijuana.

The approaches in Bethlehem and Allentown treat possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana or 8 grams of hashish, possession of marijuana paraphernalia or personal use as a summary offense carrying a fine of as little as $25.

State law says possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.

With Allentown, seven Pennsylvania municipalities have passed similar, so-called decriminalization measures, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Erie, Harrisburg, York and State College.

Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale last week commended Bethlehem’s push to reduce penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

“Decriminalization saves millions of dollars spent yearly on marijuana prosecutions,” the Democrat said in a statement. “Decriminalization also has human benefits by reducing the loss of income and other social, personal and emotional impacts on those arrested for simply possessing a small amount of marijuana.

“Bethlehem is doing the right thing. I urge other municipalities — and ultimately the entire commonwealth — to do the same and end the antiquated ‘Reefer Madness’ political ideology on marijuana.”

Opponents, like Martin, to local marijuana laws say the change should come from the state.  Under federal law, marijuana is grouped with drugs like heroin and LSD — seen as having a high potential for abuse and no medical applications.

Pennsylvania, like neighboring New Jersey, is among 29 states plus the District of Columbia that have bucked federal law and created medical marijuana programs for qualified patients.

New Jersey, under first-year Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, is working to create a marijuana marketplace for adult, recreational users. State Sen. Nicholas Scutari was expected last week to unveil his proposed bill to expand the state’s marijuana dispensary network to 218 in all, 120 of them recreational and 98 of them medical, nj.com reports.

On Thursday, U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., presented a bipartisan bill to end federal interference with state and tribal laws regulating the production, sale and personal consumption of marijuana for medical patients and adults age 21 and older, according to the National Cannabis Industry Association.

“State-level marijuana reforms are successfully replacing criminal markets with tightly regulated businesses that contribute hundreds of millions in tax revenue and generate tens of thousands of jobs,” association Executive Director Aaron Smith said in a statement. “This legislation allows states to make their own decisions on how cannabis is treated within their borders and would be an important step toward protecting the legal businesses that make up one of the nation’s fastest growing industries.”

Credit: www.lehighvalleylive.com

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