Come join us for a free picnic meant to encourage registered voters to sign the Joplin Sensible Sentencing Initiative!

Proponents of this initiative must collect 1,033 signatures from registered voters by August 15 in order to place a measure on the November ballot that seeks to amend city-wide marijuana possession penalties to a fine-only offense. They already have amassed 3,623 signatures.

Under current Missouri law, possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana is punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail, and the loss of federal student aid. Supporters of the initiative want to keep this offense local. They consider these penalties overly harsh as did citizens in Columbia, MO who resoundingly approved a measure in 2004 that prohibits Columbia police officers from arresting anyone for simple marijuana possession. Anyone found with less than an ounce and a quarter of marijuana is only given a summons to appear in the city’s municipal court and fined a maximum of $250 rather than allowing police officers the discretion of referring the case to the district attorney for prosecution by the state where the penalties are harsher.