According to new research conducted by the local PhillyNORML team (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), Philadelphia is the only county in the Keystone state which requires custody of those in minor possession of marijuana to be handcuffed, mug-shotted and sent to a holding cell. This mandatory police procedure costs an estimated $3,000,000 annually to the city.

There is not another county in Pennsylvania that requires even half of this hassle, and instead mail out simple summary violations with a listed court date.

According to recent statistics, Mayor Nutter announced that Philadelphia was facing a $108 million deficit for the fiscal year. In a time of economic crisis in the city, it does not make a whole lot of sense that the city would continue it’s harsh and expensive penalties for a non-violent offense. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the City of Philadelphia is out-of-sync with the rest of the PA Commonwealth by detaining and mug-shotting these so-called ‘criminals’.

Despite not following in suit with all other counties state-wide, the pot possession arrests Philly have been climbing more & more rapidly since 2003. Even more alarming is that PhillyNORML reports that there were 4,716 adults in Philadelphia alone who were arrested for mere possession of marijuana in 2008.

“But Philadelphia, the city where our modern concepts of national liberty and freedom were created, would be a fitting place for this issue to be addressed.”

The Obama Administration is silently legalizing marijuana. It’s is already legalized for medical usage in 13 states, with at least 13 more states to follow in trend in 2010.

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You can now connect with NORML on their Facebook page @ http://www.facebook.com/norml . There are close to 50,000 fans now, not including other fan pages at a local chapter. Philadelphia also has a local profile page that you can add to your friends list, that can be found @ http://www.facebook.com/philly.norml

At the time of a post city budget crisis, and a post SEPTA public transit strike, we truly must rethink our current drug policy and wasteful spending on what the experts are calling, a “Failed War on Drugs”. Millions of dollars for the city can be instantly saved by a common-sense procedure change that is in line with the rest of the PA county’s marijuana laws

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