Why the Seattle Police Department Will Not Be Enforcing Violations of I-502 For At Least Another 30 Days
On December 6th, Washington State’s I-105 went into effect, and it is now legal for adults over 21 to possess up to an ounce of weed. By now, you may have already read or heard about the PSA and entertaining blog post from the Seattle Police Department Blotter earlier last month with some FAQs about how the SPD will be enforcing the new law. On the eve of the new law going into effect, the Seattle Police Department sent an email to more than 1,300 officers stating the following:
“Until further notice, officers shall not take any enforcement action – other than to issue a verbal warning-for a violation of I-502,”
You may be asking yourself if the City of Seattle has completely given up on enforcing the law altogether, but there is some reasoning behind the department releasing the order. The Revised Code of Washington and the Seattle Municipal Code doesn’t clearly specify how to deal with violations of using marijuana in public (such as handing out a ticket, or how much the violation would cost). The SPD estimates it could take at least 30 days for the city or state to create legislation addressing this, and this is the reason they have publicly announced a ‘generous grace period’ during this transition.
Be sure to keep in mind that it is still illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana and use marijuana in a public place o anywhere else smoking a cigarette is prohibited. So, while you may not be cited by the City of Seattle for the time being, the Seattle Police Department wants to remind you that they will have no problem kindly reminding you to abide by the law.
Still hazy on the details? Have other questions about other drug related arrests? Call Jensen Legal for your free consultation today or contact us through our website. 206-617-9173
Source: Seattle Police Dept. Blotter
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