1973-B138
Urge Reduction of the Charges and Sentences for Marijuana Possession
Concurred as Amended
pp. 422-423
The 64th General Convention recommends treating possession or personal use of marijuana a misdemeanor offense and calls for the commutation or reduction of sentences of those convicted of felony offenses.
Resolved,
(1) That the General Convention recommend, in the interest of uniform justice, that mere possession or personal use of marijuana be considered no more than a misdemeanor; and
(2) that the General Convention call upon appropriate civil authorities to commute or reduce the sentence of those convicted for such under felony statutes.
[History Note]
[Topic] Criminal Justice
[Subject] Criminal jusice, Crime, incarceration
JLD, 05/17/2020
MARIJUANA
House of Deputies
On the Tenth Day, Deputy Lloyd (Central Pennsylvania), for the Committee on National and International Problems, moved the adoption of a Committee version of Resolution B-138, a Memorial from the Diocese of New York, as follows:
Whereas, The National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse has recommended
(1) that possession in private of marijuana for personal use should not be considered an offense, and
(2) that distribution in private of small amounts of marijuana for no remuneration or insignificant remuneration not involving a profit should not be considered an offense; and
Whereas, There is nevertheless sharp continued disagreement among authorities as to the harmful effects of the use of marijuana, and this Convention has no special competence to resolve that dispute; and
Whereas, The American Bar Association has recommended to decriminalize the social controls on the use and possession of marijuana; and
Whereas, A number of persons have been sentenced to inordinate terms for the possession and use of marijuana; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,
(1) That the General Convention recommend, in the interest of uniform justice, that mere possession or personal use of marijuana be considered no more than a misdemeanor; and
(2) that the General Convention call upon appropriate civil authorities to commute or reduce the sentence of those convicted for such under felony statutes.
Deputy Walker (Los Angeles) moved to amend the second paragraph of the Resolution, so that the conclusion thereof would read, "be considered, for the first offense, no more than a misdemeanor, and for the second offense, a felony;"
Moved and seconded, that the amendment be tabled.
Amendment tabled
Moved and seconded, that the second Clause of the Preamble be deleted.
Moved and seconded, that the Motion be tabled.
Motion tabled
Deputy Moore, on behalf of both the Clerical and Lay Deputations of the Diocese of Louisiana, called for a vote by orders and Dioceses on the adoption of the Resolution.
The Deputations cast their votes, and it appeared one Clerical Deputation and two Lay Deputations had asked to be polled, with the following results:
Milwaukee Clerical
DeGolier No
Brunner Yes
Stub Absent
Trueman No
Vote: No
North Carolina Lay
Buxton No
Tinsdale Yes
Foster Yes
Moore Absent
Vote: Yes
Western Kansas Lay
Watts Absent
Hamilton Yes
Grosser No
Brower Yes
Vote: Yes
The result of the vote by orders was announced, as follows:
Clerical : Yes. 82; No, 16; Divided. 6
Lay : Yes, 58, No, 31; Divided. 14
Resolution adopted
[Communicated to the House of Bishops in Message No. 155.]
House of Bishops
Moved and seconded, on the Eleventh Day, that the House concur in the action of the House of Deputies communicated in their Message No. 155.
The House concurred
[Communicated to the House of Deputies in Message No. 201.]
