| Photo: Hawai’i News Daily |
Outgoing California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has until Thursday, September 30, to decide the fate of Senate Bill 1449, which would reduce adult marijuana possession charges from a criminal misdemeanor to a criminal infraction.
If you have not yet contacted the Governor in support of this historic legislation, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Toke of the Town encourage you to please do so today.
Senate Bill 1449 amends the California Health and Safety Code so that the adult possession of up to 28.5 grams of marijuana is classified as an infraction, punishable by no more than a $100 fine — no court appearance, no court costs, and no criminal record.
Passage of the bill would save California millions of dollars in court costs by keeping marijuana offenders out of court, according to NORML.
The number of misdemeanor pot arrests in California has surged in recent years, reaching 61,388 in 2008.
“Adults who consume cannabis responsibly are not part of the crime problem, and the state should stop treating them like criminals,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML.
Please write or call Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and urge him to sign SB 1449 into law.
For your convenience, NORML has prepared a pre-written letter that will be emailed to the Governator when you visit NORML’s “Take Action” center here:
