Politicians Start to Say "Me Too" to Marijuana

~Over the last year or two, there has been an invigorating shift in public opinion regarding the legal status of cannabis. Politicians have gone from supporting the War on Drugs to trying to be more liberal than their opponent when it comes to cannabis criminal penalties. In the Harris County District Attorney race we see politicians that are starting to wake up to the fact that the cannabis vote is a big deal!

Today on www.Chron.com

A move to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana emerged Wednesday as a major issue in the contentious race for Harris County District attorney with both candidates claiming ownership of the idea.

At a news conference, Republican Devon Anderson, the incumbent, said that beginning Monday, non-violent first offenders carrying less than 2 ounces of marijuana will be able to escape prosecution by performing eight hours of community service or going through a drug awareness class.

"We are targeting the people we believe are self-correcting and will be 'scared straight' by being handcuffed and transported," Anderson said. "Our goal is to keep these individuals from entering the revolving door of the criminal justice system."

The announcement, a month before Anderson faces Democrat Kim Ogg in November's election for district attorney, brought harangues from the challenger who in August announced her idea for dealing with misdemeanor marijuana possession.

"This is not a new plan," Ogg said. "It's a 'me too' program by a candidate who has shifted her position with the winds of political change."

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