A new District ordinance reducing marijuana possession penalties to a fine-only violation goes into effect on Thursday, July 17. The measure amends District law involving the possession or transfer of up to one ounce of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor (formerly punishable by up to 6 months incarceration and a maximum fine of $1,000) to a civil violation (punishable by a $25 fine, no arrest, no jail time, and no criminal record).
Day: July 16, 2014
House Approves Amendment to Allow Financial Institutions to Work With Marijuana Businesses
This afternoon, the House of Representatives voted 231 to 192 in favor of the Heck-Perlmutter-Lee-Rohrabacher Amendment, which will restrict Treasury Department and SEC funds from being spent to penalize financial institutions for providing services to marijuana related business that operate according to state law. This proposal amends H.R. 5016, a spending bill for fiscal year 2015 that funds the Internal Revenue Service, Treasury Department, and Securities and Exchange Commission. The amendment reads: “None of the funds made available in this Act may be used, with respect to the States of […]
Drug War and Immigration
Report: Honduras President Blames US Drug Policy for Migrant Surge
Hernandez, who took office in January after winning on a pledge to be tough on crime, said only a drop in violence would curb the wave of families and unaccompanied minors fleeing Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras who have overwhelmed temporary detention facilities on the […]
Open Thread
Programming note:
DEBATE ON LEGALIZED MARIJUANA TO BE BROADCAST WEDNESDAY
Judge Jim Gray to Advocate for Legalization Opposite Dr. Kevin Sabet
CO—Former federal prosecutor, judge advocate for the Navy JAG corps and Superior Court Judge Jim Gray (Ret.) is in the Denver area this week meeting with media and civic groups and preparing for a […]