For pot puffers getting busted this year, the current $100 fine may go up in smoke.
The Eugene City Council will vote tonight on an ordinance to increase the fine for less-than-an-ounce of marijuana from $100 to $250 — a controversial proposal that sent ripples through the pot-smoking community and provoked heavy criticism at the City Council’s public forum last month.
Supporters of the proposal hope the increase will provide an incentive for marijuana offenders to join a new, low-cost diversion program called “Marijuana and Other Drugs,” run by the University’s Substance Abuse Prevention Program. Court officials have said the program will cost $90 and will be open to all offenders. Without the increase, there would only be a $10 difference between the new diversion program and the fine, prompting city leaders to speculate most offenders would choose the fine.
Ward 3 City Councilor David Kelly, who represents the University area, said students with a drug conviction could
potentially have their financial aid suspended, and since MOD would clear the record of first-time offenders, students could be given a second chance.
“Just based on comments at the last meeting, I certainly expect it will pass,” he said.
A similar action recently was taken with alcohol-related offenses, giving an incentive for students to join the Beginning Underage Success Through Educational Diversion program, also run by SAPP. BUSTED was created two years ago as an alternative to the maximum $250 fine for a handful of alcohol-related offenses.
Municipal Court Judge Wayne Allen said at January’s public forum that the increased fines, together with the new diversion program, will give offenders incentive to choose diversion.
“Our desire here is to build upon the success of the BUSTED program,” he said.
But Todd Dalotto said the increase would hurt people who qualify for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act.
Dalotto, who is the executive director for the Compassion Center, said many qualified medical marijuana patients turn to street use either because they can’t afford the $150 fee or because they can’t find a participating physician. He said the fine increase will ultimately affect these people, who need marijuana to ease medical symptoms but can’t obtain it legally.
“Although the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act protects regular patients, it actually covers a small amount of patients,” he said. “A lot of valid, otherwise qualified medical patients out on the street possess less than an ounce that they use for medicine.”
Tonight’s meeting will be at 7:30 in the City Council chambers.
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