A press release from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)  informs us that several more states recently moved to decriminalize marijuana possession. Spurred by budget shortages, state legislatures in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Hawaii this month passed bills to replace criminal penalties for marijuana possession with civil fines.

Commented Karen O’Keefe, state policies director for MPP: “We know from efforts in other states that decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana allows police to focus on more serious crimes and also produces a net financial gain through saved law-enforcement costs and the revenue generated by civil fines. Lawmakers everywhere should take heed of these examples, especially in these troubled economic times.” 

One dozen states so far have enacted measures decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of MJ, replacing prior laws will varying civil fines.

Also part of the press release:

“With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.”

In related news, another source informed us that yesterday a group of medical marijuana patients held a press conference, asking state lawmakers to support a medical marijuana law in Massachusetts. A state public health committee is now considering passage of a bill that would legalize the medical use of marijuana. If this bill passes, Massachusetts will become the 15^th state in the nation to give patients safe and legal access to medical marijuana.