Act now to advance marijuana reform in Iowa

Although 60 percent of all drug arrests in Iowa City over the last five years were for simple marijuana possession, law enforcement officials are now recognizing a far worse problem than the crime itself jail overcrowding.

Most people jailed for marijuana possession are only there for a matter of hours or days. Reducing the number of people simply going in the front door of the jailhouse and then out the back door a short time later would free up much needed space and greatly reduce the strain currently being felt by authorities.

It has been reported that on some nights, as many as 30 people may be packed in to a single cell. Currently, the Johnson County jail houses more than twice the number of inmates it was designed to accommodate.

Law enforcement officials in Johnson County appear to be open to a more sensible approach when it comes to dealing with marijuana possession. Citing and then releasing those who are found to be in possession of marijuana without taking them to jail is one option another is making marijuana possession the city's lowest law enforcement priority.

To read a revealing article about this issue click here.

In 1968 Iowa amended the state Constitution to provide for a municipal home rule, which allows municipalities to pass ordinances such as the one currently needed in Iowa City. You can click here to read the 25th Amendment to the Iowa Constitution.

If you live in Iowa City, please send the members of the Iowa City Council an e-mail asking them to consider either passing an ordinance that would make marijuana possession the city's lowest law enforcement priority, or, in the alternative, pass an ordinance that allows for the citation and release of offenders, rather than incarceration . Not only would this free up jail space, it would also allow law enforcement to spend more time investigating serious crime. This could save the city money and enable the reallocation of resources currently being wasted on enforcing laws that do not work and create more problems than they solve.

If you are a citizen of one of the surrounding counties that presently bear the burden of Johnson County's jail overcrowding by accepting inmates in your jail, please click here to send the Iowa City council an e-mail urging them to consider a sensible alternative to arresting and jailing those who possess marijuana.

Please e-mail Nathan Miller at Nathan@mpp.org to report any feedback council members give you.

One of the most important things that you can do to make sure the council members seriously consider implementing a sensible marijuana policy is to compose a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Making sure that the media reports on this issue will be crucial to persuading the city council that this is the right thing to do. If you would like to do this, please contact Nathan Miller at (202) 462-5747, ext. 118 for help.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. If you have any questions about marijuana reform in Iowa, please contact Nathan Miller at Nathan@mpp.org.