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Hart Planning To Introduce Federal Pot Bill

Hart Planning To Introduce Federal Pot Bill image
Parent Issue
Day
22
Month
April
Year
1975
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

WASfflNGTON-Sen. Philip A. Hart is planning to introduce the first bill in Congress that would elimínate all federal penalties for the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The veteran Michigan Democrat recently declined to co-sponsor a partisan measure to "decriminalize" marijuana use and his staff is drafting a more liberal bill that reportedly will stop just short of complete legalization. Legislation introduced last week by four senators and 17 representatives would abolish criminal penalties for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, which is the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes. But pólice could issue a citation to smokers, similar to a parking ticket. The maximum fine would be $100 but there would be no arrest to give the casual user a pólice record. Hart has told marijuana reformers he opposes any penalty for pot-smoking. Word to that effect was circulated last week in an unpublished memo of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). " "They've (Hart and his staff) ■ I ed to us that they prefer a system that I I has no penalties," said Larry Schott of I toORML, "and that would be satisfactory I I to us." I But dropping all sanctions would I I cate society's approval of marijuana, I I "and as a practical matter it would be I I difficult to sell," Schott said. I A bill introduced April 17 by Sen. JaI cob Jayits, R-N.Y., and co-sponsored by I Sens. Edward Brooke, R-Mass., Alan I Cranston, D-Calif., and Gaylord Nelson, D-Wis., would elimínate marijuana use I as a criminal misdem'eanor, which j I ries a maximum penalty of a year ín I I son and a $500 fine. Persons who sell more ttan an ounce ■ of marijuana for profit still would face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 I fine. j Javits' bill is patterned after a 1973 I Qregon law and is also similar to the I ■ Ann Arbor ordinance under which I juana users are merely fined $5. I