CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FIRST COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-15-243 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Rey Gardu?o and Isaac Benton
RESOLUTION
title
Establishing A Policy That Enforcement Of Laws Criminalizing Possession Of One Ounce Or Less Of
Marijuana For Adult Personal Use Shall Be A Low Law Enforcement Priority (Gardu?o, Benton)
body
ESTABLISHING A POLICY THAT ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS CRIMINALIZING POSSESSION OF ONE OUNCE OR LESS OF
MARIJUANA FOR ADULT PERSONAL USE SHALL BE A LOW LAW ENFORCEMENT PRIORITY.
WHEREAS, state law makes possession of one ounce or less of
marijuana a criminal offense punishable by a fine and imprisonment; and
WHEREAS, enforcement of criminal laws relating to the mere possession of one ounce or less of
marijuana for adult personal use should constitute a very low priority for the City's law enforcement resources because the money spent arresting, incarcerating, and prosecuting adults for simple
marijuana possession could be better spent elsewhere; and
WHEREAS, attitudes and laws governing the possession and use of
marijuana have dramatically shifted in favor of legalizing or at least decriminalizing possession of small amounts of
marijuana for personal use; and
WHEREAS, according to a poll performed by Research & Polling, Inc. in February, 2013, approximately 57% of New Mexico voters favor reducing the penalty for adult possession of
marijuana for personal use from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil penalty with small fines and no jail time; and
WHEREAS, according to the same poll approximately 52% of New Mexico voters support legalizing
marijuana for adults; and
WHEREAS, according to the results of an advisory question placed on the 2014 general election ballot in Bernalillo County, approximately 60% of City residents support
marijuana decriminalization; and
WHEREAS, the City is considering a separate ordinance, ordinance O-15-60 that abolishes th...
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