The District of Columbia City Council voted on Tuesday to raise the sentence for marijuana distribution (or possession with the intent to distribute marijuana) from a one-year misdemeanor to a five year felony. Distributing less than eight ounces of of marijuana will continue as a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months imprisonment, for a first offense.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report indicates that African Americans account for 96 percent of marijuana sale arrests in the District. NORML Litigation Director Tom Dean, Esq., stated that making marijuana distribution a felony is “clearly racist in impact and runs contrary to the will of the people.”
While DC lawmakers said they intended this bill to be a response to open air drug markets in the District, they rejected an amendment that would have exempted medical users from the felony charges. In 1998, District voters approved a medical marijuana initiative which was subsequently blocked by Congress.
“I guess my biggest fear is that patients who may be using medical marijuana may now be turned into felons,” said Wayne Turner, of DC Act Up, the group that lead the 1998 DC medical marijuana initiative. “I just wish the council members were more interested in doing the bidding of the voters of Washington, D.C., rather than the U.S. Attorney’s office.”
For more information, please contact Tom Dean, Esq., NORML Foundation Litigation Director at (202) 483-8751 or Keith Stroup, NORML Executive Director at (202) 483-5500.
