San Francisco supervisors vote to make pot offenses lowest law enforcement priority

Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Emmett Berg, Bay City News Service

November 15, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - San Francisco supervisors today voted to make marijuana offenses the Police Department's lowest priority, though prohibitions remain for marijuana sales in public, possession by minors or use by motorists.

"San Francisco should determine its marijuana policy locally, not hand them over to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration," stated the ordinance by Supervisor Tom Ammiano. "Law enforcement resources would be better spent fighting serious and violent crimes."

Supervisor Tom Ammiano

Ammiano's bill was opposed by supervisors Sean Elsbernd, Michela Alioto-Pier and Fiona Ma.

The law also urges the San Francisco district attorney, Kamala Harris, to make prosecution of marijuana offenses her office's lowest priority. A community oversight committee was also created to monitor implementation of the law.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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