You may have heard that I have been working on a proposed ordinance regarding marijuana fines. Here is an edited version of an email exchange I recently had with a resident of Ward 3, addressing why I care about this issue. As always, please email me or call me at 413-727-8770 should you have any questions or concerns.

Respectfully,


A constituent writes:

Dear Councilor Plassmann,

I was a bit surprised by the recent video [link] of the Committee on Social Services and Veterans Affairs meeting in which you advocated increasing fines for public marijuana use in Northampton. Nor was I aware that local drug enforcement policy was in that committee's purview.

Could you please provide some background, perhaps on your blog, as to why this is suddenly an issue? Has there been any public discussion at all about this matter, and on what basis have you concluded that your proposal represents the wishes of Ward 3 residents? Personally, I would prefer to see our overworked police focus their efforts on preventing violent crimes and crimes against property.

Thanks for your consideration.

Northampton, MA 01060


My response:

Dear Resident:

Thank you for taking the time to write to me. I too was a bit surprised when this topic came up at the Social Services and Veterans Affairs meeting but since Councilor LaBarge mentioned it, I felt it was only honest to share my thinking on the subject since I had recently been looking into the statistics. Councilor LaBarge was asking the members of the Committee what departments we would like to meet with for our upcoming schedule--that is the context and the manner in which the topic was brought up for discussion.

You have asked me why this is "suddenly an issue"? I must say that this subject has been an ongoing issue not just in our ward but the entire community. From the onset of my election campaign, I have tried to be forthright about my stand on illegal drug use in our neighborhoods and how it impacts our children, our families and our everyday lives. I am passionate on this subject as my family has suffered from one member’s use of illegal drugs, specifically marijuana. This person’s initial exposure to drugs was at age 14 in the Northampton Public School system. I see many other local teenagers traveling down this same road today.

The proposed fine increases are not primarily about the money. They are intended to provide a more serious deterrent to public use and to assist the police in enforcement.

You may not be aware, but the current law does not require a person caught with marijuana to identify himself to a police officer. A person could give a false name or even no name with impunity. In addition, the City Clerk's office is charged with administering the citations and fines--another manpower draw on her already overburdened office. Increasing the fines would provide the City Clerk's office with the funding to process the citations.

With regard to public discussion on the matter, the law is a result of a referendum question which the voters approved after considerable discussion. Many in the law enforcement and legal communities feel that the proponents' campaign misled the general public. Most non-users have little idea of how much an ounce of marijuana really is, nor do I suspect the majority were aware of the non-identification clause. An ounce of marijuana is about half a sandwich bag full--which represents far more doses than what most people would consider a "small amount". However, the Northampton proposal for discussion is not about the amount, it is about better deterring use of an illegal substance in public.

I agree that the marijuana issue has more than one side, and indeed, there is currently a proposal in the Senate to legalize and tax the marijuana industry.

I respect your opinion that the Northampton Police Department should prioritize more serious crimes. However, having worked at a Police Department and living with a police officer, I have firsthand knowledge of the frustration so many of the officers experience in dealing with the marijuana issue.

I did hear this as an issue during the city council campaign and I feel obligated as councilor to raise the topic for discussion. I appreciate your feedback and I hope you will understand that I am doing my best to serve the residents of Ward 3.