Legislators mull over marijuana charge changes

The Drug Policy Alliance on Thursday pitched a proposal to lawmakers to decrease penalties for having small amounts of marijuana — eliminating any penalty for less than 1 ounce, and reducing penalties and eliminating jail time for 1 to 8 ounces.

Currently, possession of up to 8 ounces is a misdemeanor that under the law could trigger a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to a year in jail.

The alliance’s New Mexico director, Emily Kaltenbach, said arresting adults for having small amounts of marijuana wastes criminal justice resources that could better be used elsewhere, as well as jeopardizing jobs and creating other hardships for those arrested. 

According to the alliance, there were 3,277 arrests in New Mexico in 2010 in which marijuana possession was the sole or primary charge. Marijuana arrests were 34 percent of all drug arrests, according to the alliance. 

Doña Ana County accounted for 28 percent of the overall arrests; Doña Ana and Chaves Counties had the highest arrest rates.

Legislators mull over marijuana charge changes