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By Katherine Gregg
Journal State House Bureau
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - - Governor Carcieri "opposes the move to decriminalize marijuana,'' according to spokeswoman Amy Kempe.
Stopping short of saying he would veto any such proposal, Kempe said: "The governor opposes any legislation that weakens the drug laws, and has vetoed every piece of legislation that weakens those laws that has been sent to him.''
Asked to explain the governor's opposition, Kempe said, "There are a number of reasons....:from weakening drug laws to the potential impact it will have on children.
"Decriminalizing marijuana will encourage more marijuana abuse in Rhode Island, particularly among youth. Marijuana is an addictive narcotic, and decriminalizing it will increase the availability and use of marijuana on the streets of our state. Marijuana is a commonly abused illicit drug, with young adults the most common abuser of the drug.''
Kempe was responding to inquiries about where the state's second-term Republican governor stands on the chief recommendation that came out of a Senate study commission.
The recommendation was made over the objections of the past and present police officers who served on the panel, and also State Police Superintendent Brendan Doherty, who conveyed his opposition in a February 15 letter to the commission.
In his letter, Doherty said his chief concern is the regrettable message that decriminalization will send to youth about a drug containing a "dangerous'' ingredient - - Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - . that can cause "distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory'' on casual users, and even worse affects on chronic users, including "anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and schizophrenia."
"It becomes quite clear that the perceived benefits of decriminalization are heavily outweighed by the health and public safety issues that result from these general symptoms of marijuana use,'' he wrote.
Under current Rhode Island law, possession of any amount of marijuana is a criminal offense, punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to a year in jail.
Massachusetts had already turned possession of an ounce or less of the drug into a civil offense, punishable by a $100 fine.
The Rhode Island study commission did not make any specific recommendations on the size of the fine - or scope of the presumed savings in state and local arrest, prosecution or incarceration costs.
But even before the commission wrapped up its work this week, lawmakers in the House and Senate had already introduced bills calling for a $150 civil penalty. The lead sponsor in the House is Rep. John Edwards, D-Tiverton, and in the Senate, Rhoda Perry, D-Providence.
Under the Edwards bill, the fines would go into the state's General Fund if the citation was issued by the state police, and to the city or town where the citation was issued if locally generated.
The Perry bill would impose a $100 fine on those aged 18 and up, and forgo the fine entirely for minors who enroll in a four-hour drug-awareness program, and up it to $1,000 for minors who do not do not enroll within a year. Both the minor and his or her parents would be liable for paying the increased fine.
The Perry bill also goes to great lengths to make sure there are no further ramifications from getting caught with marijuana, beyond a fine.
"By way of illustration rather than limitation,'' it says, "neither possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, nor the presence of cannabinoids or cannabinoid metabolites in the urine, blood, sweat, hair, fingernails, toenails, or other tissue or fluid of the human body may provide a basis to deny a person student financial aid, public housing, or any
form of public financial assistance including unemployment benefits, to deny the right to operate a motor vehicle, or to disqualify a person from serving as a foster parent or adoptive parent.''
Half of the money generated by the new fines would go to the cities and towns, and the other half to the Department of Health for "drug-awareness education.''
