Mass. cities toughen pot laws

Since Massachusetts voters relaxed a law on marijuana six months ago, several cities have enacted measures that toughen fines on smoking pot in public, a step they say is necessary to enforce the new state law.

[Religion Kills]

legalize, control and tax. Eliminate the Mexico problem, violence here and selling to children.

So simple, yet being the type of country this is, very little hope.

[Doesnt Matter]

Just legalize already!!!!!! Less fines to write, less criminals in jail for tax payers to pay for, and less BS about pot already!!!!! Make alchohol illegal! It's more dangerous than some pot people!

[Free the people]

The city will make money, The Cops and the DA will keep funding, and the public will have their lives ruined by these jerks. See Springfield's response- lock them up, screw them over.

'The guy I can lock up is the beer-drinker'

"If I'm driving down Main Street in Springfield, and I see a guy drinking a can of Budweiser and a guy smoking a joint, the only guy I can lock up is the beer drinker," Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney said.

[yourewelcome]

Free the people wrote:

The city will make money, The Cops and the DA will keep funding, and the public will have their lives ruined by these jerks. See Springfield's response- lock them up, screw them over.
'The guy I can lock up is the beer-drinker'
"If I'm driving down Main Street in Springfield, and I see a guy drinking a can of Budweiser and a guy smoking a joint, the only guy I can lock up is the beer drinker," Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney said.

I believe the voters spoke. AM i Right? It is now a civil fine. One of the reasons it passed was the post smokers don't want their "lives ruined" by a criminal arrest. How does a civil fine ruin a life> Here's an idea morons, keep doing what you always did. Smoke the pot in your own homes. Then you wont have to worry.

[Parks and Rec]

I wish cops would just shut the hell up about this. I don't give a rats ass what you think. It isn't your job to think. Your job is to make sure people are following the laws, not cherry pick which ones you want to uphold or not uphold due to what you think is right.

I don't care if your job is tougher, or you can't 'lock somebody up'. IF it is THEN decide if you still want to do it. I'm sure some other @sshole is more than willing to fill your spot if you want to quit.

They are turning into a gestapo more and more every day.

[Florida]

The fascists are taking over........WAKE UP AMERICA BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!!!!

[Tricia]

I totally get it that pot smoking should not be allowed in public. Cigarettes are nasty enough, but for the most part, they have been outlawed in public, especially in small areas. Pot has a much stronger odor and second hand pot can surely make people whoozy especially those not used to it. I mean this is common sense. This isn't police trying to throw their weight around. This is the police trying to protect the public.

[Chartockian]

That Springfield cop should be focused upon Springfield's violent crimes and rash of vehicle break ins AND leave both the beer drinker and pot smoker alone.

[yourewelcome]

Chartockian wrote:

That Springfield cop should be focused upon Springfield's violent crimes and rash of vehicle break ins AND leave both the beer drinker and pot smoker alone.

You never heard of the broken window theory?? You let the little things go and then soon there are more and more problems. While I agree there are more serious things to worry about, when a person calls and complains about drinking or drug use and public, the police are obligated to respond.

[Tappy]

Long time ago I went to see Chuck Berry at a concert inside a building at the cape..There was so many pot smokers in there I left as I was feeling woozy..I never did get to see Chuck do his duck walk while playing his guitar.

[Chartockian]

yourewelcome wrote:

<quoted text>
You never heard of the broken window theory?? You let the little things go and then soon there are more and more problems. While I agree there are more serious things to worry about, when a person calls and complains about drinking or drug use and public, the police are obligated to respond.

OK RUDY GUILIANI

PS The cops and politicians still need to get over their obsession with pot and punks.

[Joe_ north Adams]

the only reason weed was criminalize was "the beer company's wanted to be the only ones to give you a buzz....this is a fact, go back and look it up in a 1920-30 newpapers....

fact is marijuana is natural....beer is man made,,,all depends who's pockets are lined, becomes the law...

[ramdan]

Legalize,regulate,and tax! Make Marijuana legal to possess and smoke,and the problems are lessened!

[lolz]

The thing is pot smokers dont care about smoking outside, im sure most of them want to be inside. i see no reason why you cant smoke in your own home. legalize it....

[lolz]

Tappy wrote:

Long time ago I went to see Chuck Berry at a concert inside a building at the cape..There was so many pot smokers in there I left as I was feeling woozy..I never did get to see Chuck do his duck walk while playing his guitar.

oh stop being a cry baby, pot isnt gonna kill you...taking aspirin is worse that pot

[OMG]

So while we are at it lets just legalize all drugs and let them sort the users out in the morgue? Cause that is where they are heading. Most employers still drug test...so what we as a state are saying is here, don't work, stay home, get high and eventually we will support you from an already overtaxed system that is running out of money. I like it. Who needs laws? Apparently not Massachusetts. We the people of this state have spoken! Do any of you people that advocate the legalization of marijuana realize how many lives it destroys? It may seem like no big deal, but it is. It is a gateway drug for starters. Or how about...it is not safe. Unless you grow it yourself you do not know what you are getting. They put all kinds of crap in it. I do not want my children seeing some guy walking down the street smoking a joint. I do not condone it and should not have to have my children exposed to it. You all realize it causes higher rates of lung cancer than cigarettes right?

[Tricia]

OMG wrote:

So while we are at it lets just legalize all drugs and let them sort the users out in the morgue? Cause that is where they are heading. Most employers still drug test...so what we as a state are saying is here, don't work, stay home, get high and eventually we will support you from an already overtaxed system that is running out of money. I like it. Who needs laws? Apparently not Massachusetts. We the people of this state have spoken! Do any of you people that advocate the legalization of marijuana realize how many lives it destroys? It may seem like no big deal, but it is. It is a gateway drug for starters. Or how about...it is not safe. Unless you grow it yourself you do not know what you are getting. They put all kinds of crap in it. I do not want my children seeing some guy walking down the street smoking a joint. I do not condone it and should not have to have my children exposed to it. You all realize it causes higher rates of lung cancer than cigarettes right?

The pot smokers do get it, but they are so addicted to the stuff that they don't care. Some people get nicotine withdrawal when they are away from cigarettes for too long so I am sure there is the equivalent for pot smokers. They are so intense about making it legal because the fear of not having it is more than they can handle. It's the same craving of people who can't survive without that next cigarette. Pot smokers live in their own little world. It's all about their addiction.

[devils advocate]

OMG wrote:

So while we are at it lets just legalize all drugs and let them sort the users out in the morgue? Cause that is where they are heading. Most employers still drug test...so what we as a state are saying is here, don't work, stay home, get high and eventually we will support you from an already overtaxed system that is running out of money. I like it. Who needs laws? Apparently not Massachusetts. We the people of this state have spoken! Do any of you people that advocate the legalization of marijuana realize how many lives it destroys? It may seem like no big deal, but it is. It is a gateway drug for starters. Or how about...it is not safe. Unless you grow it yourself you do not know what you are getting. They put all kinds of crap in it. I do not want my children seeing some guy walking down the street smoking a joint. I do not condone it and should not have to have my children exposed to it. You all realize it causes higher rates of lung cancer than cigarettes right?

WOW what planet are you on? could you kindly cite your studies.

[Jameson]

Democracy sucks. Isn't there something we can do to subvert the will of the people? Oh, yeah, that's what's happening right now. Imagine my surprise.

[Thomas Fontaine]

Proponents of relaxing the restrictions note that Massachusetts is the only state where voters decriminalized marijuana use. Since 1973, 11 others — Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio and Oregon — have decriminalized pot by legislative action, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.