Many states have decriminalized the act of purchasing, possessing, and consuming small amounts of marijuana. Decriminalization laws are differentiated from legalization in that they don’t completely eliminate the concept of criminal liability.
What does decriminalized mean?
What does decriminalized mean when it comes to cannabis? Decriminalization is a term used to describe the act of no longer enforcing laws that require mandatory penalties. The possession of cannabis is considered a criminal offense in most jurisdictions and is punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both. When cannabis possession offenses are decriminalized, they are basically reduced to violations similar to speeding tickets.
What is legalization?
Legalization is the process of making something legal. When you legalize something, you make it legal. For example, in the United States, it was legalized for medical purposes in 29 states and for recreational use in 8 states. This means that if you have a prescription for cannabis from your doctor and live in one of those states, it’s perfectly legal for you to possess and use cannabis for medicinal purposes.
And if you’re 21 or older and live somewhere where recreational use of cannabis is legal, it’s also fine for you to possess and use cannabis in those states. So, legalization isn’t how much time someone will serve in jail or prison if they get caught with a certain amount. It’s simply whether or not it’s against the law to have some on your person, in your home or car, etc.
There are several different levels of decriminalization
When we talk about decriminalization, we’re really talking about a spectrum. There are several different levels of decriminalization that states have considered, and each one comes with some potential benefits as well as some potential drawbacks.
The first level is simple possession. A state that has legalized simple possession of cannabis essentially says that it’s not a criminal act to possess small amounts of the drug. In these states, there may be an infraction or a fine associated with possession, but there isn’t jail time or anything more serious than that. This can be helpful for people who are caught with small amounts of the drug and don’t have any other criminal record because it allows them to avoid getting themselves into trouble.
Of course, it’s still a violation to have cannabis in your possession. So, if you get caught with it enough times, those fines could add up. In some cases, you could still end up serving time in prison for subsequent violations.
At present, however, local cannabis laws vary widely from jurisdiction to jurisdiction in the United States, if not unregulated at all. Some states also allow personal cultivation of cannabis plants or the sale of small amounts of the drug by authorized vendors. Again, this reduces the penalties associated with possessing cannabis to something less than full-scale criminalization—but these states still need some way to enforce their laws and make sure that people aren’t buying more cannabis than they’re allowed to buy but still allows for regulation of the drug.
Arguments in favor of decriminalization
Not all supporters of decriminalization support legalization, which is the process of making cannabis legal to buy, sell and use. But even if they don’t support legalization, they still want to lessen the penalties for related crimes. These are some of their main arguments:
• Decriminalization saves money. The cost to taxpayers of arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating offenders is higher than the cost of treating cannabis addiction.
• Decriminalization frees up police resources to fight violent crime.
• Decriminalization reduces racial profiling. Minorities are more likely than Caucasians to be arrested for drug offenses, even though both groups have comparable rates of drug use.
• It reduces the prison population. Many people are serving time for minor drug offenses that could be treated with drug courts and other non-incarceration alternatives.
Where is it legalized?
The U.S. states that have legalized recreational cannabis are Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. In addition to these states, the District of Columbia has also legalized recreational use.
Bills passed by the Senate to decriminalize marijuana
The Senate has passed three bills to decriminalize cannabis and to legalize medical cannabis. The first bill makes it illegal for police to investigate a person for having small amounts. The second bill makes it legal to use cannabis for medical treatment. The third bill allows people who are not licensed doctors to give medical cannabis to patients.
Strains that are decriminalized
In states where cannabis has been decriminalized, it does not mean that all strains of cannabis are legal. Cannabis is categorized into three strains: Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis. Out of these three, the only one that is typically decriminalized is Cannabis Sativa. This is because Cannabis Sativa has the lowest concentration of THC, which is the substance in cannabis that produces a high. Although it does contain some THC, it is lower than other strains.
Before you can understand what decriminalization means, it is important to know what it doesn’t mean. Decriminalized simply means not being arrested or subjected to the possibility of jail time for possession of small amounts. This is in contrast with the legalization, which states that cannabis can be bought, sold, and taxed at state-run stores, similar to any other product.
Neither decriminalization nor legalization means that it is legal to use. Decriminalization only affects your chances of facing jail time if you are caught with a small amount of pot. To be on the safe side you need a medical marijuana card but before you consider getting your medical marijuana card, contact The Medical Marijuana Doctor at (954) 994-7002 to see if you qualify and how we can help you. We are located in Coral Springs, FL.