Virginians To Weigh In On Possible Decriminalization Of Marijuana

Heather Curtis
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Virginia could become the 23rd state to de-criminalize possession of small amount of marijuana, although a decriminalization advocate isn’t hopeful any proposed legislation would make it out of committee.

Monday the Virginia Crime Commission will present the findings of a study it did on the possibility of changing possession of a small amount of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor offense to a $100 civil penalty.

A public hearing will be held after the presentation.

A poll done by Virginia Commonwealth University in January of 2016 found 78 percent of Virginians support decriminalization, and 62 percent either strongly or somewhat agreed that the state should legalize marijuana for recreational use as D.C. and a number of states, including Colorado, have done.

In a letter to Virginia Crime Commission Chairman Del. Rob Bell in Nov. 2016, Sen. Thomas Norment asked the commission to research a number of things including the consequences other states have seen after they decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, whether those states criminalize possession on second or third offenses, and whether there is any correlation between marijuana use and opioid use.

“The primary benefit to decriminalizing marijuana possession is that it reduces crime,” said Jenn Michelle Pedini with the Virginia chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

According to Pedini each year 22,000 Virginians are arrested and charged with misdemeanors for possession of small amounts of marijuana, a rate she said has been skyrocketing as other states have seen a decrease in arrests.

Pedini believes if the VCC’s report is positive and supports decriminalization it could be helpful in the effort but probably won’t be enough to get legislation out of committee since the state legislature is controlled by Republicans along with the house criminal law subcommittee and the courts of justice committees in the house and the senate.

Past bills to decriminalize marijuana haven’t made it out of committee.

WMAL reached out to Bell, the VCC’s Executive Director Kristen Howard and decriminalization opponent Nancy Hans with the Prevention Council of Roanoke County but did not hear back by deadline.

Monday’s meeting starts at 1 p.m. in the Pocahontas Building in Richmond.