Leach urges amnesty in marijuana prosecutions
State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17 of Lower Merion, is asking the state’s 67 district attorneys not to prosecute marijuana possession and smoking cases.
“Ending the prosecution of low-grade marijuana offenses will give your office more time and resources to prosecute the truly dangerous cases which are so critical to protecting all of us,” Leach argued in an open letter sent to the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association Friday.
Leach – a longtime advocate of decriminalizing marijuana use and author of a successful bill introducing medical marijuana to the state in 2016 – points to the announcement by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. this week that his office would no longer prosecute marijuana possession cases.
Vance cited support in his state for legalization and the “likelihood” that New York would eventually legalize adult-use marijuana, according to the letter.
“That same level of support is evident among Pennsylvanians,” said Leach. “A Franklin and Marshall poll from 2017 found that 59% of Pennsylvanians support full legalization. This is consistent with national polls that put support for legalization at approximately 60 percent and growing.”
Leach notes that nine states have already legalized marijuana for adult use and 13 others have decriminalized the practice. He adds that Philadelphia already treats low-grade marijuana offenses as a summary offense with a $25 ticket and no involvement in the criminal justice system.
With that in mind, Leach said it makes little sense to prosecute people for something that might not be a crime much longer and could leave an indelible blot stain on their record.
“The bottom line is that an arrest can ruin a life,” he said. “It can mean hefty fines and huge costs for legal assistance. It can mean incarceration, as well as the loss of a job, admission to a college, financial aid, etc. It can also result in one being prohibited from working in certain professions and job applicants having to check a box indicating they have a criminal conviction whenever they apply for a new job.”
“That same level of support is evident among Pennsylvanians. A Franklin and Marshall poll from 2017 found that 59% of Pennsylvanians support full legalization. This is consistent with national polls that put support for legalization at approximately 60 percent and growing.”
— State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17 of Lower Merion