Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson announced on Tuesday that his office will not prosecute first-time offenders for marijuana possession.
The announcement formalizes a promise Thompson made during his campaign to reduce the number of marijuana-related prosecutions.
The office will still prosecute people who smoke marijuana in public, especially close to children, regardless of their criminal record. The new policy also excludes 16 and 17 year olds, “who instead will be redirected on to a healthier path through a diversion program,” Thompson said in a statement. People with criminal records will also still be prosecuted.
“This new policy is a reasonable response to the thousands of low-level marijuana arrests that weigh down the criminal justice system, require significant resources that could be redirected to more serious crimes, and take an unnecessary toll on offenders,” Thompson said in a statement.
The announcement was released one day after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to legalize medical marijuana in New York State.
Friends Read Free