Weedpipe
Active Member
DETROIT - It's currently against the law, but the push is on to legalize marijuana in Motown. A new pot petition is in the hands of Detroit City Council, but Detroit voters could make the final decision.
It's important to point out that the proposal to legalize marijuana in the city of Detroit has nothing to do with the current medical marijuana law, but it does have one thing in common -- the petition organizer, who says it's about time.
"I believe that one way to be effective in politics is to focus on a single issue," said Tim Beck.
So far, his strategy is working. Beck is the one who first led the effort to legalize medical marijuana in the city of Detroit and then the state. Now, he says he's on to bigger and better things. Beck, who owns a health insurance agency, now spends his free time pushing to legalize pot in the city of Detroit.
"I don't believe that I should have to see a doctor in order to smoke marijuana anymore than I should have to see a doctor in order to have a vodka martini," Beck said.
If there is any indication from the 6,000 signatures the Coalition for a Safer Detroit collected in a matter of weeks, there are plenty of voters on his side.
"That's a good street poll," said Beck.
The proposal allows Detroiters 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana on private property. However, to Beck it's more than just getting high. According to statistics he obtained from the Michigan State Police, there were more than 1,500 misdemeanor marijuana arrests last year in the city of Detroit. His argument is that decriminalizing marijuana will allow Detroit Police to save money and time and focus on real crimes.
"It's about $350 an hour in processing time and in court time and police time, everything else that adds to over $2.6-million being spent in the city of Detroit on petty marijuana use," Beck said.
It's now up to the City Council, which will decide whether it will approve the proposal. If it doesn't, the issue automatically will appear on the November ballot and will be left up to the voters.
"While I'm still reviewing the proposal and also reviewing the costs associated with putting it on the ballot, my inclination at this date is to let it go to the people for a vote. I have not really formulated a full position on this. I want to weigh the pros and cons, and I think that's something that all council members are going to be doing," said Detroit City Council Member Ken Cockrel, Jr.
"There's absolutely no reason why it should be illegal. This is nonsense. It's going back like to the days of prohibition," said Beck.
Beck also thinks that by legalizing marijuana that would lure more people to live in the city of Detroit.
The City Council plans to discuss this proposal on June ninth, Cockrel says, if not sooner.
We did speak to a Detroit Police spokesperson about this to get the department's opinion. He said it's too early for the department to take a position, but they plan to look at this proposal a little bit closer to find out the true legal impact.
Source: myFOXDetroit.com / WJBK FOX 2
Author: TARYN ASHER
Contact: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/
Copyright: 2009 Fox Television Stations, Inc.
Website: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/tim-beck-pushing-to-legalize-pot-in-detroit-20100602-ms
It's important to point out that the proposal to legalize marijuana in the city of Detroit has nothing to do with the current medical marijuana law, but it does have one thing in common -- the petition organizer, who says it's about time.
"I believe that one way to be effective in politics is to focus on a single issue," said Tim Beck.
So far, his strategy is working. Beck is the one who first led the effort to legalize medical marijuana in the city of Detroit and then the state. Now, he says he's on to bigger and better things. Beck, who owns a health insurance agency, now spends his free time pushing to legalize pot in the city of Detroit.
"I don't believe that I should have to see a doctor in order to smoke marijuana anymore than I should have to see a doctor in order to have a vodka martini," Beck said.
If there is any indication from the 6,000 signatures the Coalition for a Safer Detroit collected in a matter of weeks, there are plenty of voters on his side.
"That's a good street poll," said Beck.
The proposal allows Detroiters 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana on private property. However, to Beck it's more than just getting high. According to statistics he obtained from the Michigan State Police, there were more than 1,500 misdemeanor marijuana arrests last year in the city of Detroit. His argument is that decriminalizing marijuana will allow Detroit Police to save money and time and focus on real crimes.
"It's about $350 an hour in processing time and in court time and police time, everything else that adds to over $2.6-million being spent in the city of Detroit on petty marijuana use," Beck said.
It's now up to the City Council, which will decide whether it will approve the proposal. If it doesn't, the issue automatically will appear on the November ballot and will be left up to the voters.
"While I'm still reviewing the proposal and also reviewing the costs associated with putting it on the ballot, my inclination at this date is to let it go to the people for a vote. I have not really formulated a full position on this. I want to weigh the pros and cons, and I think that's something that all council members are going to be doing," said Detroit City Council Member Ken Cockrel, Jr.
"There's absolutely no reason why it should be illegal. This is nonsense. It's going back like to the days of prohibition," said Beck.
Beck also thinks that by legalizing marijuana that would lure more people to live in the city of Detroit.
The City Council plans to discuss this proposal on June ninth, Cockrel says, if not sooner.
We did speak to a Detroit Police spokesperson about this to get the department's opinion. He said it's too early for the department to take a position, but they plan to look at this proposal a little bit closer to find out the true legal impact.
Source: myFOXDetroit.com / WJBK FOX 2
Author: TARYN ASHER
Contact: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/
Copyright: 2009 Fox Television Stations, Inc.
Website: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/tim-beck-pushing-to-legalize-pot-in-detroit-20100602-ms