Massachusetts Changes Marijuana Law

Voters in the recent election voted to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The decision was made to cut down on the amount of people in Massachusetts' jails for petty drug crimes, which is expensive for the tax payers. The new law will begin to take effect after January 2nd of the new year.

Any person caught with marijuana will be forced to pay a $100 fine, and attend a drug awareness class, if that person is under 18 years of age. However, this complicates matters, because police are not allowed to demand identification for civil infractions. They will be unable to determine if the offender is 18 and may make it difficult for the officer to issue a citation. As with any new law, this one may take months or even years to straighten out. If you feel that you have been unlawfully arrested or fined, contact a legal professional immediately. The lawyers at Kerstein, Coren & Lichtenstein LLP are criminal law experts.