http://www.nowpublic.com/world ... sion-sb-1449-2689659.html

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Schwarzenegger Makes California Marijuana Possession an Infraction: Senate Bill 1449

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1449 into law, which effectively decriminalizes minor marijuana possession. If you're caught with less than one ounce of marijuana, your offense will be treated as an infraction (like a parking ticket) rather than a misdemeanor (which requires a court appearance). As an infraction, a simple pot bust will be punishable by a $100 fine.

Schwarzenegger Supports SB 1449, Not Prop 19

Schwarzenegger is opposed to the legalization of marijuana in general, and opposes Prop 19, which will appear on the November ballot. The Governator supported Senate Bill 1449 for budgetary reasons. Note that possession of more than one ounce of marijuana, or any amount of "concentrated cannabis: (i.e. hashish), will still be treated as a real crime.

In his Senate Bill 1449 signing statement, Schwarzenegger wrote, "In this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, and the courts cannot afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket. As noted by the Judicial Council in its support of this measure, the appointment of counsel and the availability of a jury trial should be reserved for defendants who are facing loss of life, liberty, or property greater than $100."

According to NORML, there were 61,164 misdemeanor arrests for simple marijuana in 2009 alone, so SB 1449 should free up some desperately-needed state cash. According to priceofweed.com (yes, there's really such a site), average-quality cannabis costs roughly $275 per ounce.

A small step in the right direction tbh. i would rather they ban tobacco and alcohol and swap it with cannabis being legalised but regulated

My 666th post how spooky.

the feds still circumvent anything done at the state or municipal levels, so this won't do shit overall.

Feds aren't really interested in <1oz busts.

you have to do something pretty far out there to have the feds come after you. They aren't really interested in prosecuting every small-time smoker, they just don't have the resources.

Having lived near a city in which minor weed possesion is only an infraction (Ann Arbor), this law really does make a difference. Think parking ticket from and city or state police officer, instead of jail and a trial. That's who patrols the streets, and answers everyday calls, so it's a pretty big deal.

Although I don't think it should be legalised, this is a step in the right direction for a country where drugs hysteria is such that a record for posession causes more trouble for you in later life than a record for murder.

Quote from bunder9999 :

the feds still circumvent anything done at the state or municipal levels, so this won't do shit overall.

That's not true. They've already said that they will only go after people according to individual state laws, not federal regulations. Well, it's more like they're just leaving the enforcing of drug-related laws up to the state. It's still federally illegal, but the DEA doesn't usually do the enforcing/prosecuting anyway. They're just basically saying to the states: "It's up to you guys individually whether you want to follow these federal regulations or not," I suppose.