It’s time for Wyoming lawmakers to have a serious
conversation about enacting sensible reforms when it comes to our state’s
marijuana policies.
A great place to start is House Bill 0029, which would
remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. This
proposal would impose a civil, not criminal, penalty with a fine of up to $100
for a first or second offense. Reducing penalties for low-level marijuana
possession would prevent thousands of people from becoming ensnared in the
criminal justice system. Convictions for possessing even small amounts of
marijuana can follow people throughout their lives. There are substantial
long-term consequences to these charges, including potentially being
disqualified from student financial-aid eligibility, loss of employment,
veteran’s benefits, and incarceration. What we have now is a situation where
the punishment simply doesn’t reflect the conduct.
A recent survey conducted by the University of Wyoming
found that 62 percent of Wyomingites surveyed believe the penalty for marijuana
possession should not include jail time. Decriminalization policies keep
people out of jail and would eliminate many of the collateral consequences that
flow from marijuana arrests, thereby reducing the gross number of people
entering the criminal justice system.
Decriminalization also makes fiscal sense. According to
the Bureau of Justice and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Wyoming
spent $9.1 million enforcing marijuana laws in 2010. That year, Wyoming made
2,254 total arrests for marijuana; 93 percent of those were for possession of a
small amount, not for the manufacture or sale of marijuana.
Wyoming is surrounded by states that have enacted
different types of reforms. Nebraska is one of 15 states that fine, instead of
jail, individuals found in possession of small amounts of marijuana. Colorado
and Washington are now joined by Alaska and Oregon in fully legalizing
recreational marijuana use for adults. It’s time for Wyoming to pass practical
reforms, too.
Ryan Frost
Program Coordinator
ACLU of Wyoming
(As originally run in the Casper Star Tribune and Wyoming Tribune Eagle on 1/18/15)
