DETROIT (WWJ) – Is Detroit’s Proposal M going up in smoke?
On Tuesday, more than 60 percent of ballots counted supported the measure, which would allow adults over age 21 to possess less than an ounce of marijuana on personal property without criminal prosecution.
However, Councilwoman Brenda Jones explained marijuana use and possession will still be crimes under state and federal law.
“I’ve had extensive conversation with corporation counsel in regard to this, and the proposal is illegal.
Jones said city residents should not expect council members to draft an ordinance in support of Proposal M. ”Just like … there’s a law that says that you can’t murder and we write a law that says it’s OK to murder one person. So, it’s illegal,” she said.
Added Council President Charles Pugh, ” … we can’t do it anyway, so it was really a waste of our time, honestly, but, whatever — we were made to do it by a judge.”
Detroit is just one of several Michigan cities in which voters backed local ballot issues to decriminalize marijuana in some cases.
Some law enforcement agencies to say they will continue to make arrests over the drug. That means the feds can still prosecute an individual for possessing or selling marijuana.
However, the proposals may have an effect at the local law enforcement level, because now local officials can place marijuana possession as a low priority offense.
https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/11/07/detroit-council-marijuana-ballot-measure-a-waste-of-time/
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