DC Marijuana Legalization: Resident Asks Police Station For Marijuana & Gets It Back

Just a few days after marijuana legalization took effect in Washington D.C., a resident walked into a police station and asked for his marijuana back. That’s right, D.C. residents are now legally allowed to request their drugs back, as long as those drugs are marijuana-related.

D.C. Council member Yvette Alexander said that a resident walked into the Sixth District police station on Monday and asked a police officer if he could have his marijuana back. Alexander told WAMU 88.5 that the resident’s drug was confiscated during a police arrest.

“He walked in to recover his property from a recent arrest. He walked in and said, ‘I want my property back, and want to make sure I get my weed back.'”

The resident was able to get his marijuana back. Alexander did note that the other officer that was on duty was confused by the interaction. The D.C. resident was able to retrieve his marijuana from the other on-duty police officer. Alexander added, “They gave him his weed back!”

This news comes on the heels of marijuana legalization taking effect in D.C. last Thursday. This means that residents over the age of 21 can smoke or own up to two ounces of pot per person. Residents are also able to grow marijuana in their private house of residence.

Police officers are still able to confiscate marijuana if residents are underage or if they’re arrested for another offense. A Special Order was submitted to all D.C. police officers which states that individuals whose marijuana is confiscated during an arrest can legally go to a police station to ask to have it returned to them.

“A person whose marijuana or marijuana-infused edible goods was seized… may seek the return of their property by visiting the station in the District where the marijuana was seized no sooner than 24 hours after the seizure.”

If the individual doesn’t claim the marijuana within 30 days, it will then be destroyed by police officers as contraband.

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier supports the marijuana legalization law. She spoke to the American News Women’s Club last week about her excitement over the new law, according to Vox.

“All those [marijuana] arrests do is make people hate us. Marijuana smokers are not going to attack and kill a cop. They just want to get a bag of chips and relax. Alcohol is a much bigger problem.”

Lanier later backtracked on her comments and said that marijuana isn’t healthy. “But I’m not policing the city as a mom. I’m policing it as the police chief – and 70 percent of the public supported this.”

Marijuana legalization isn’t just taking place in Washington D.C. Alaska recently became the third state to legalize the drug. This means that Alaskan residents over the age of 21 can privately own and smoke up to an ounce of marijuana. Residents can also grow as many as six marijuana plants in their private house of residence.

What are your thoughts about the marijuana legalization law that took effect in D.C. last week?

[Image: Mark]