From the DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE:
NYPD Commission Ray Kelly issued an internal order this week commanding officers to follow existing New York State law by ending arrests for possession of small amounts of marijuana – as long as the marijuana was never in public view. The order does not change the law itself – but simply instructs officers to comport with the law. This could result in tens of thousands fewer marijuana arrests annually in New York City.
The announcement comes on the heels of growing pressure on the NYPD. A campaign led by the Drug Policy Alliance, the Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform and Alternatives, and VOCAL has gained the support of City Council members and state legislators. DPA issued a series of reports prepared by the Marijuana Arrest Research Project that highlight the cost and scale of the arrests. Their latest report, released in March, found that arrests for marijuana possession cost New York City taxpayers approximately $75 million each year…
The arrest statistics say it all. Just 34,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession from 1981 to 1995 – but in the last 15 years 540,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession. More than 50,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession in 2010 alone, far exceeding the total marijuana arrests from 1981-1995. The New York Police Department has provided no evidence that these massive numbers of arrests have done anything to reduce crime or to improve public safety and quality of life. There is also no evidence whatsoever that more people are smoking marijuana today than in the 1980s…
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