Welcome to VALID!

 Welcome to the VALID blog!  I feel hopeful as I write this (on election day!) that starting very soon we will have a chance for meaningful dialogue that will lead to POSITIVE  CHANGES in our current federal, state and local drug policies and laws. The times, they are a changing... Massachusetts voters have a chance to show how they feel about their current drug laws as they vote on a ballot initiative to decriminalize marijuana use by adults. 

In short, this initiative removes criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana and replaces them with civil penalties, to be issues through citations, AND--would exclude any information from being recorded in the criminal record information system... Adults over the age of 18 would be subject to forfeiture of the marijuana and a fine of $100. A person under the age of 18 would be subject to forfeiture and, if they complete a drug awareness program within one year of the offense-- the same $100 penalty. To find out more, go to www.csmp.org. 

This blog seeks to promote dialogue between Vermonters... let's start by weighing in on the Massachusetts outcome.... check back for the results... and then let me know what you think---and what you think Vermonters would think about decriminalizing marijuana use by adults here? 

Hey... one more thing- the VALID website will be up this week--- stay tuned!