Baltimore Not Prosecuting Marijuana Possession Charges: Mosby

BALTIMORE — The state's attorney in Baltimore City says she will no longer prosecute marijuana possession cases. She cited the impact on people of color.

"The statistics are damning when it comes to the disproportionate impact that the 'War on Drugs' has had on communities of color," Baltimore City's top prosecutor Marilyn Mosby said in a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

"As your state's attorney, I pledged to institute change," Mosby said. "And I refuse to stand by and be a facilitator of injustice and inequity when it is clear that we can be so much smarter and do so much more on behalf of the people we serve."

Mosby said she plans to vacate thousands of marijuana convictions, dating back to 2011, according to NBC. She cited the fact that possessing marijuana is "legal for millions of Americans," now that 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of the drug.

Maryland legalized medical marijuana in 2013 and the first dispensary in Maryland opened in December 2017. In 2014, Maryland decriminalized the use of less than 10 grams of marijuana, making it a civil offense punishable by a fine.

The Baltimore Police Department issued an official response to Mosby's position on Tuesday afternoon.

"Baltimore Police will continue to make arrests for illegal marijuana possession unless and until the state legislature changes the law regarding marijuana possession," Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle said in a statement.

Mayor Catherine Pugh issued her feedback Tuesday night, showing that she understood where each side was coming from — and she stood behind Mosby.

Pugh wrote that she was supportive of the "unnecessary criminalization of those who possess marijuana merely for personal use" but added she remains committed to efforts to "eliminate violent crime at its source," including those who distribute illegal substances.

The mayor urged legislators to consider policies in cities across the U.S. to develop an "approach that is unified" and "in the best interests of our communities."

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