New Yorkers Caught With Weed Will No Longer Be Arrested Starting In March
Weed smokers across New York City can exhale a sigh of relief, as Central Bookings will no longer be a part of their future, starting in March.
Those carrying a small amount of weed in New York will no longer face a night in jail starting in March, according to Mayor Michael Bloomberg during his State of the City address on Thursday.
Despite not being arrested, people caught carrying a small amount of marijuana will still be taken to their local precincts to have their IDs checked for outstanding warrants.
Bloomberg emphatically stated he does not support drug use, but rather that this was a stance on how to best use the city’s resources.
“I personally am not in favor of legalizing marijuana or any other drugs, I think it’s a dangerous thing,” he said.
“But the reality is that for small amounts of marijuana there’s an awful lot of kids that have it and you’re just clogging the jails… you’re clogging the courts, you’re clogging the police.”
The new policy would help thousands of young New Yorkers, who would otherwise not be regarded as criminals, avoid criminal records.
“It’s consistent with the law, it’s the right thing to do, and it will allow us to target police resources where they’re needed most,” he said.
The NYPD arrests over 50,000 people every year for simple possession.
“Marijuana is just a fact of life in this day and age in a small quantity,” said Bloomberg on his radio show.
“Cops don’t have the time to go out and go after the real bad guys if they’re gonna worry about throwing a kid in the slammer overnight for a tiny bit.”
Hugh Everett | Elite.
