Arrests on marijuana-related charges have fallen dramatically this summer in and around Virginia’s capital since a new law legalized possession of small amounts of pot and residents keeping a few cannabis plants, according to a newspaper report. Twenty-five marijuana-related arrests occurred in Richmond and in Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico counties in the first seven weeks after the law took effect July 1, compared to 257 arrests during the same period last year, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, citing local law enforcement data. Ad “A 90% reduction in marijuana arrests indicates that the public policy is performing as intended and in a manner that is consistent with post-legalization observations from other states,” said Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of the Virginia chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The law legalized possession by adults age 21 and over of up to 1 ounce of marijuana and the cultivation of four pot plants per household, among other decriminalization provisions.
Mmp News Author, Medical Marijuana Program Connection, 09/12/2021 19:14:00
Open article: https://mmpconnect.com/central-virginia-sees-90-reduction-in-marijuana-arrests/