As of today, the residents of and visitors to my adopted home state will no longer face arrest and criminal charges for possessing marijuana in amounts smaller than 10 grams. Instead, they will receive a civil citation. This will present a problem for policemen. According to the Washington Post:
How will officers determine the weight of the marijuana they discover? What happens if they arrest someone for having more than 10 grams only to discover at the station that it was less? And given that it is still a criminal offense to carry drug paraphernalia - including bongs, pipes and rolling papers - should officers use that charge against suspected drug offenders instead?The Post also reports that according to Maryland police spokesman Gregory Shipley:
State troopers will use their best judgment in guessing the weight of marijuana, Shipley said, since “the troopers won’t be carrying scales.” If it looks like less than 10 grams, troopers will issue a civil citation. If it looks like more than that, troopers will make an arrest and head to a station for an official weighing. If the trooper guessed wrong, the arrested individual will be released and issued a civil citation. (emphasis added)If you want to get stoned in my part of the world, you'd better be careful about how much you use, and hope that any cops you encounter are willing to start with the assumption that it's under 10 grams.
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