Montco Town Passes Ordinance To Decriminalize Marijuana

WEST NORRITON, PA — As Democratic leaders around Pennsylvania make a push to legalize recreational marijuana at the state level, some local government officials are looking to do what they can to support the movement.

West Norriton Township passed an ordinance at a recent township board of commissioners meeting in support of decriminalization of pot. The motion was passed unanimously, 5 to 0. West Norriton is the second Montgomery County municipality to pass this type of ordinance, joining Norristown.

While possession and consumption of recreational marijuana is still illegal in Pennsylvania, this ordinance alters the way the township itself handles and processes minor offenders who are found possessing small amounts of pot. The ordinance includes language stating that it does not "promote or condone the possession of use of marijuana or marijuana paraphernalia" in the township.

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Specifically, the ordinance changes the township's Health and Safety code, chapter 10, for how police handle individuals in possession of a "small" amount of marijuana for personal use. Small is defined as less than 30 grams. Now, such possession will result in receiving a citation, with a small fine of $40 for first violation.

Not everyone was on board with the move, however, as legalization continues to be a controversial issue.

"Visible crimes or signs of crimes create or encourage further crimes or disorder,

West Norriton township resident James Riehman argued that regardless of intention, the ordinance would encourage further marijuana use in the township because people know that the punishment is less.

"(This) may lead to further crimes typically associated with drug usage, and a less favorable reputation for West Norriton township," Riehman said during the meeting.

Similar concerns were echoed by some other residents. Commissioners were confident that this would not be the case.

"I think it will have the desired effect of keeping people out of the system," board president Marty Miller said during the meeting. "I don't think it will embolden use, I don't think it will encourage people to do something they wouldn't have already done, one way or the other."

The criminal justice angle is a major part of the proposed statewide legalization bill, too. That legislation includes something called the Cannabis Clean Slate Initiative, which would expunge all marijuana-related offenses from the records of non-violent drug offenders. It would also reinvest tax money gained from marijuana sales into local communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana arrests. About 22,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession in Pennsylvania in 2019.

Gov. Wolf recently declared his support for the legislation, and has urged the state legislature to act on it this fall. The Republican-controlled body, however, said that now is not the time.

Several other municipalities have already passed similar ordinances while the state deliberates, including Norristown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, Folcroft, and Bethlehem.

You can read the full ordinance online here.