North Newton amends marijuana possession consequences
North Newton amends marijuana possession consequences
First-time personal possession will become an infraction and come with a $150 fine.
On April 9, the City of North Newton released a letter from the City Council and the Mayor. This letter stated that on April 8, North Newton City Council voted to approve an ordinance to amend the uniform public offense code, regarding the possession of marijuana.
The intent of this action is to prevent people from entering the criminal justice system and help avoid the enduring stigma associated with it. This does not legalize the possession of marijuana.
First-time personal possession will become an infraction and come with a $150 fine. A person with this charge would have the option to pay the fine or attend court.
This ordinance will only apply to possession in a motor vehicle and the enforcement is considered a traffic infraction. If a person possesses 1.5 ounces or less while in a motor vehicle, a ticket will be issued for the first offense only.
The change will save the city money by limiting the amount of marijuana tested, thus limiting lab fees and other fees associated with prosecution. The city pays $35 a day for someone to be prosecuted and put in jail. This is due to the cost of housing in jail.
The City of Hesston also adopted a similar ordinance on April 11, 2022. This imposed a traffic infraction for the possession of marijuana in a private motor vehicle. The City of Hesston was interested in maintaining the public safety and welfare of its citizens and visitors by creating a safer city and reducing crime.
To ensure the safety of citizens and strengthen the relationship with the community, it was proposed to prevent people from entering the criminal justice system.
This ordinance is written in the same language as North Newton, where they are attempting to avoid the stigma associated with the criminal justice system and are not legalizing the possession of marijuana. Before, in Hesston, there was no ordinance imposing a vehicle infraction for the possession of less than two ounces of marijuana in a private vehicle within city limits.