The legal weed industry is among the fastest-growing in the United States, according to a Marijuana Business Daily report. Veuer’s Sam Berman has the full story. Buzz60
A House committee on Wednesday rejected an almost identical bill from Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, on a 7 to 5 vote.
‘We are arresting more people for marijuana than for opioids,” Brewbaker told the committee. “Right now, the situation we are in, I think this is a reasonable approach.”
Democrats Bobby Singleton of Greensboro; Linda Coleman-Madison of Birmingham; Hank Sanders of Selma and Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile voted for the bill, as did Republicans Tom Whatley of Auburn and Cam Ward of Alabaster, the committee chair. Republicans Clay Scofield of Guntersville; Larry Stutts of Sheffield and Phil Williams of Rainbow City voted against the bill, along with Democrat Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham.
Brewbaker’s bill would tie the punishments to the amount possessed. Possession of more than two ounces of marijuana would be a Class C Felony, while possession of one to two ounces of marijuana would be a Class D felony, with prison time capped at two years and served in a community corrections facility.
Possession of less than an ounce of marijuana would be a violation, subject to a fine and not incarceration. Under the bill, the first two offenses would result in a fine of $250. An offender would face a fine of up to $500 for later violations.
Brewbaker told the committee that easing punishments for marijuana was broadly popular, even among likely Republican voters.
“They don’t want to see with very small amounts, lives ruined by that, and they also said they want the law to be absolute death on those who sell drugs,” he said.
Williams made an attempt to kill the bill in committee and told Brewbaker he would filibuster the legislation if it reached the Senate floor. Williams said he had counseled people suffering from drug addiction and said weakening the penalties would lessen deterrence.
“I never met a single addict who started off with their first toke to become an addict,” he said. “You weaken the penalties further than they are, all we’re saying is ‘You’ll get a slap on the wrist.’ That’s all you get.”
Brewbaker, who also said he had worked in the field, said he found alcohol to be more likely to start people down the road to addiction. A car dealer by trade, Brewbaker said existing laws could make it difficult to hire worthy candidates.
“I employ 109 people,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of people trying to get jobs that we’ve hung a felony on for something they did when they’re over 18.”
Singleton agreed with Brewbaker. “I’ve never seen a marijuana addict,” he said.
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