Commissioners in Palm Beach County will be hosting a public hearing today in order to decriminalize marijuana. The ordinance would allow Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office officers to give a civil citation to marijuana violators, or enforce state law. Anything under 21 grams of marijuana would be considered a civil offense instead of a criminal one. However, state law still considers possession of marijuana a criminal act.
Commissioners had voted on this back on October 6th, previously approving of the ordinance. However, the concluding vote was pushed to December 15th to perfect the language of the ordinance and make it easier to pass. The measure will likely receive the approval needed today. The county has been debating the measure since Miami-Dade County passed a similar one this summer. Following Miami was Hallandale Beach, Key West, and Broward County.
Deputies in Broward County can now either arrest people for marijuana or fine them $100 for having under 21 grams of marijuana in their possession. The second offense would cost $250, and the third one will cost $500. After the third offense, possession would be a crime.
The ordinance proposed in Palm Beach is similar; a $100 fine will need to be paid if a citation is issued. If the citation is not paid, another $500 will be added on to this. Those cited will also have the option of going to court to fight the citation, but may face a $500 penalty including court costs. Violators will also have the option of performing ten service hours instead of paying a fine. However, repeat violators may be arrested. Not everyone is supporting this, though; Commissioner Hal Valeche voted against this.
“We are sending the message that we think this is less serious than we did previously,” Commissioner Hal Valeche stated today. “If you don’t have the fear of having this on your record, that makes you probably more inclined to try it.”
Valeche also said that marijuana was a gateway drug.
“If you ask any heroin addict what was the first drug they tried, they”ll say marijuana,” he added. “I don’t think this is a good idea. It’s not what I’d like to see in Palm Beach County.”
Commissioner Priscilla Taylor, who proposed the measure, agrees that decriminalizing marijuana would prevent overcrowding in jails and not ruin the lives of minor offenders.
“It just elevates and elevates to something worse,” she said.
The Palm Beach County Commission will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Robert Weisman Governmental Center, 301 N. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach.
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