Seattle, WA: County prosecutors in Washington dismissed several hundred misdemeanor marijuana possession cases this week. Their decision came days after state voters approved Initiative 502, which removes criminal penalties specific to the adult possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for personal use (as well as the possession of up to 16 ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form, and 72 ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form.) The law is set to take effect on December 6, 2012.
According to media reports, prosecutors in King County, Pierce County, Spokane County, and Clark County have decided to drop several hundred pending misdemeanor pot possession cases.
"Although the effective date of I-502 is not until December 6, there is no point in continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal next month," King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg told The Seattle Times. "I think when the people voted to change the policy, they weren’t focused on when the effective date of the new policy would be. They spoke loudly and clearly that we should not treat small amounts of marijuana as an offense."
In Colorado, where voters on Election Day also passed a marijuana legalization measure, Amendment 64, some county prosecutors are similarly dismissing pending criminal cases specific to cannabis possession. Amendment 64 is anticipated to go into effect next month.
For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500, or Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org.