England reclassified marijuana a couple of years ago so that possession was a less serious offense. The London police reported that of the people they caught with marijuana, 67% were given a warning, 17% were cautioned and 15% were charged.
They are getting criticized on two fronts. First, because of the disproportionate arrests of blacks and second, for making the police appear impotent.
I’m not sure that reclassifying marijuana is not a bad idea, but it does seem silly to intervene and simply hand out warnings.
Published by Jason Schwartz
I have been an addiction professional and social worker since 1994. I started blogging in 2005 as the Clinical Director at Dawn Farm. I currently serve as the Director of Social Work and Spiritual Care for a healthcare system. I've also served as the Director of Behavioral Health at another hospital. I'm also a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work.
Views expressed here are my own.
Keep in mind that the field, the contexts in which the field operates, and my views have changed over time.
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