Newspaper Page Text
im% feature
Legalize It? Or Decriminalize It?
EFFORT TO REDUCE POT PENALTIES CONTINUES
By Evelyn Andrews news@flagpole.com
W hile Athens faces a roadblock in mari
juana decriminalization efforts, one
DeKalb city, Clarkston, is hoping to be the
first in the state to do so.
Clarkston city leaders are propos
ing to punish offenders who possess less
than 1 ounce with a fine of as little as
$5. Athens-Clarke County Attorney Bill
Berryman said recently that a local effort
to reduce the penalty for possession to a
mere ticket would be illegal because state
law supersedes local ordinances. Despite
the stall in decriminalization efforts, ACC
Commissioner Melissa Link is hopeful that
Clarkston’s plan for reform will give Athens
officials an idea for how decriminalization
will work.
Although Josh Wayne, the founder
and president of the Athens chapter of
the Campaign for Access, Reform and
Education, was hoping for Athens to be
the first city in Georgia to decriminalize
marijuana, he said he is “hopeful looking
to the future of Clarkston.” Athens CARE,
a student-run organization on campus
that advocates for
marijuana reform,
is working with
lawyers to draft
legislation that they
believe will decrimi
nalize marijuana.
After the county
attorney’s opinion
set the group back,
member Morgan
King said their
next step is finding
a legal way to reform Athens’ marijuana
policy, but their main obstacle is not hav
ing any members who are law students or a
connection to local lawyers. For that, they
are turning to support from Students for
Sensible Drug Policy, an international orga
nization that is “pushing for sensible poli
cies to achieve a safer and more just future,
while fighting back against counterproduc
tive Drug War policies,” according to the
group’s website.
Jeremy Sharp, a board member for
Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said find
ing a legal solution for decriminalization in
Athens has been difficult due to the limits
the Georgia Constitution places on cities
and counties’ lack of leeway on criminal
sanctions. Sharp said they are looking for
ways to circumvent this. “The goal is to get
around it and draft a bill that can be used
as a model for Athens and other cities in
Georgia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wayne said their focus is on
educating students on campus and increas
ing support for drug reform.
Wayne also said he is not waiting for
Gov. Nathan Deal to address this issue
because Wayne doesn’t believe he is will
ing to move forward with any legislation
on decriminalization. While Deal signed a
medical marijuana bill last year, he resisted
efforts to strengthen it in the most recent
session and has said he doesn’t want to see
Georgia become Colorado, where the drug
is legal.
King said she is also disappointed with
Mayor Denson’s lack of action. (Denson has
said she supports legalizing or decriminal
izing small amounts of marijuana.) “We’ve
given her plenty of opportunities to speak
out about it,” King said. “I don’t see any
thing that she’s done to help us. She might
have said she supported it while she was
running, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
Other than the medical benefits of
using marijuana—a common reason cited
by reform supporters—the economic ben
efits are undeniable, at least in the case of
Colorado.
In February 2014, the second month
after recreational use was legalized, the
state collected $3.2 million in tax revenue.
A year later, that revenue increased to $7.8
million for the month, and in February
2016, it was $12.8 million. Alcohol is taxed
by volume, not price, so it is difficult to
compare, but by June 2015 recreational
marijuana brought in more tax revenue
than alcohol sales, according to a Forbes
article. There’s also evidence that legal
marijuana is boost
ing tourism, with
almost half of
those surveyed
by the Colorado
Tourism Office say
ing it influenced
their choice of
destination.
Of course,
Colorado has differ
ent demographics
than Georgia, and
Colorado is not an exact predictor of the
potential economic effect legalization could
have on Georgia. However, supporters
think mere decriminalization could have an
effect on the local economy.
Legalizing marijuana because of the eco
nomic impact it could have is a “no-brainer,”
Sharp said. However, he believes the eco
nomic advantage of decriminalization is
less clear cut. Although the state will save
money by imprisoning fewer people, and
police will be able to spend more time on
other duties, it will cost the state in other
ways, he said. “Misdemeanors have turned
into cash cows,” he said, due to the fines for
marijuana possession.
If decriminalization efforts succeed in
Athens, fewer people would be imprisoned,
which will not only decrease jail costs but
also allow people to be hired or get better
jobs, King said. “We have one of the worst
poverty rates in Georgia, and I think just
getting people out of jail could help the
economy,” she said.
Link also believes this will improve the
lives of those in poverty. In her central
Athens district, Link said she has met
“dozens who have felony records for minor
drug possession” and are unable to get a job
due to their criminal record. “It has clearly
devastated communities,” she said. “When
you have a felony on your record, you are
much less likely to get a job, not to mention
defending yourself in court could be unaf
fordable.” ©
Legalization in Colorado generated millions
of dollars in sales and tax revenue in 2014.
Medical marijuana sales: $386 million
Recreational marijuana sales: $313 million
Tax revenue: $63 million
Licenses and fees: $13 million
Source: The Washington Post
A little bit o£ the Gulf Coast
comes to Athens
JOIN US FOR
SUNDAY BRUNCH
ON THE PATIO IN FIVE POINTS
11am-3pm
OMELETTES, BREAKFAST TACOS,
CRAB CAKE BENEDICT,
BREAKFAST SANDWICH,
FRIED OYSTERS & RED MULE GRITS
$ 4 BLOODY MARYS • *2 MIMOSAS
WATCH THE WORLD GO BY IN FIVE POINTS
At the corner o£ Lumpkin & Milledge
MARKER7COASTALGRILL.COM • 706.850.3451
Research Participants Needed
The Department of Health Promotion in the College of Public Health is
conducting a study to learn more about how intermittent physical activity
helps control blood sugar.
Researchers are seeking men and women ages 40-64 who are overweight
or obese and able to perform exercise for 2-4 minutes at a time.
Participants will wear a glucose monitor for three-days and will be provided
meals during this time. They also will climb stairs on a stair climber
machine for 2-4 minutes at a time, several times per day on two days.
Information from this study may be used to inform future physical activity
programming to prevent or manage diabetes. Participants will be given
information about their body composition and health and also receive a
financial incentive. People who take part may earn up to $270 for
completing the study.
For More Information
Contact Dr. Jennifer
Gay by email at
UGAWHG@gmail.com
or jlaay@uga.edu or
by phone at
706-542-6698.
APRIL 20, 2016 -FLAGPOLE.COM 9