Mosby's Marijuana Policy Meets Pushback From State Officials
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — In a monumental move for Baltimore, City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said that her office would stop prosecuting for the possession of marijuana.
The change stirred up controversy statewide.
Interim Baltimore City Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle said that officers will continue to make arrests for marijuana.
President of the Maryland Senate, Mike Miller, said that Mosby's decision is simply wrong.
In a city ravaged by crime, the State's Attorney indicated that marijuana hasn't played a part in plaguing Baltimore.
"When I asked myself 'is the enforcement and prosecution of marijuana possession making us safer as a city' the answer is no," said Mosby.
Mosby made the announcement by herself Tuesday with no other city leaders joining her side.
She also requested to vacate convictions in nearly 5,000 cases of marijuana possession.
While Mayor Catherine Pugh was quick to show her support for the new policy, Miller was far from on board.
"Miss Mosby is wrong," said Miller. "There are drug dealers in the city who need to be prosecuted and laws need to be unified across the state."
He didn't hold back his frustrations.
"We need to prosecute those people," Miller said. "Drug dealers need to go to jail. They don't need to walk on the streets of Baltimore."
The Marijuana Policy Project released a statement to WJZ saying in part: "We applaud state's attorney Mosby for making the fair and just decision. Decades of arresting and prosecuting people for marijuana possession did not make Baltimore safe."
Mosby said that it's time to stop hindering people's lives and make good use of limited time and resources.
"For far too long we have sat back and watched communities and families literally destroyed by the failed policies of the so-called war on drugs," Mosby said.
Harford County Sheriff Condemns Mosby's Decision To Forgo Possession of Marijuana Prosecutions
In Harford County, Sheriff Jeffery Gahler put out a statement saying in part: "This latest disappointing action of City State's Attorney has no impact here. We'll continue to enforce the state's laws in regards to marijuana possession."
Mosby said that her office will still go after drug dealers and traffickers by prosecuting distribution cases where there is evidence that marijuana is being sold.
Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
