| An Important Message from Wellesley Police Chief Cunningham Regarding the Upcoming Vote on 'Question 2' in Massachusetts. |
To the Editor:
As the incoming President of the Massachusetts
Chiefs of Police Association and in my capacity
as the Chief of Police in Wellesley, I strongly
encourage residents to vote “NO” on ballot
question two. Every law enforcement agency,
our District Attorney’s, most Public Health
officials, Massachusetts school administrators,
and most major newspapers in Massachusetts
oppose this question.
Kids who smoke marijuana are more likely to get behind the wheel of a car high on marijuana.
According to MADD, 41 percent of teens are not concerned about driving high on marijuana – a
shocking number considering drivers who’ve smoked pot are 10 times more likely to be injured,
or to injure others, in automobile crashes. Question 2 will enable and embolden drug dealers and
allow them to carry up to an ounce of marijuana without the threat of criminal prosecution.
Despite the best efforts of proponents to paint an ounce of marijuana as something too small to
be worth the attention of the police and courts, the fact is that one ounce of marijuana is worth
from $400 to $600 and represents about 60 individual marijuana cigarettes.
Question 2’s supporters argue that existing laws unfairly and harshly punish those who have
been caught with an ounce or less of marijuana. As for simple possession: Carrying an ounce or
less of marijuana in Massachusetts means probation for six months. If you don’t get arrested
again during that period, the criminal record is wiped clean and the CORI record is sealed and
inactive. Those are the facts. What about claims that our current drug laws are unfairly limiting
access to student loans for first-time offenders? Again, not true. Only a conviction leads to a
temporary one-year suspension of federal loans. And in Massachusetts judges and prosecutors
are required to place first-time offenders on probation and wipe their records clean after six
months, this is not a conviction.
There is no known person in a Massachusetts jail for simple possession of marijuana. There
are, however, people in jail with multiple serious offenses that include marijuana possession
and/or distribution. The proponent’s claim of a $30 million per year cost savings was developed
by a Harvard University Economist who is well known for his support of the legalization of all
drugs.
Please consider the facts when making your decision. The THC levels in marijuana have
increased dramatically in recent years. In an era when we are struggling to control alcohol
abuse among our teenagers, it does not make sense to lower the restrictions on marijuana. Why
would we want to provide a legal loophole to those dealers supplying drugs to the youth of our
community? The amount of work required by public officials and the cost to the public will
actually increase under this proposal. The new proposal includes an unfunded mandate requiring
communities to develop a citation system to record violations. Additionally, the Commonwealth
will be required to develop and provide a training curriculum for youthful offenders under age 18
at a substantial additional expense. If a person under 18 does not meet their obligations, the fine
will increase from $100 to $1000 and the parents will become jointly responsible for payment.
As to the issue of a person’s criminal record, an adjustment could easily be made by the
legislature to change the existing law.
As law enforcement officials, we have seen generations of young people use marijuana as a
gateway to harder drug use. We have seen too many young people become drug addicted and
enter a life of crime to support their drug habits. We have witnessed the devastation that drug
use has had on families and communities as a whole. I urge you to vote NO on Question Two.
Respectfully,
Terrence M. Cunningham
Chief of Police
As the incoming President of the Massachusetts
Chiefs of Police Association and in my capacity
as the Chief of Police in Wellesley, I strongly
encourage residents to vote “NO” on ballot
question two. Every law enforcement agency,
our District Attorney’s, most Public Health
officials, Massachusetts school administrators,
and most major newspapers in Massachusetts
oppose this question.
Kids who smoke marijuana are more likely to get behind the wheel of a car high on marijuana.
According to MADD, 41 percent of teens are not concerned about driving high on marijuana – a
shocking number considering drivers who’ve smoked pot are 10 times more likely to be injured,
or to injure others, in automobile crashes. Question 2 will enable and embolden drug dealers and
allow them to carry up to an ounce of marijuana without the threat of criminal prosecution.
Despite the best efforts of proponents to paint an ounce of marijuana as something too small to
be worth the attention of the police and courts, the fact is that one ounce of marijuana is worth
from $400 to $600 and represents about 60 individual marijuana cigarettes.
Question 2’s supporters argue that existing laws unfairly and harshly punish those who have
been caught with an ounce or less of marijuana. As for simple possession: Carrying an ounce or
less of marijuana in Massachusetts means probation for six months. If you don’t get arrested
again during that period, the criminal record is wiped clean and the CORI record is sealed and
inactive. Those are the facts. What about claims that our current drug laws are unfairly limiting
access to student loans for first-time offenders? Again, not true. Only a conviction leads to a
temporary one-year suspension of federal loans. And in Massachusetts judges and prosecutors
are required to place first-time offenders on probation and wipe their records clean after six
months, this is not a conviction.
There is no known person in a Massachusetts jail for simple possession of marijuana. There
are, however, people in jail with multiple serious offenses that include marijuana possession
and/or distribution. The proponent’s claim of a $30 million per year cost savings was developed
by a Harvard University Economist who is well known for his support of the legalization of all
drugs.
Please consider the facts when making your decision. The THC levels in marijuana have
increased dramatically in recent years. In an era when we are struggling to control alcohol
abuse among our teenagers, it does not make sense to lower the restrictions on marijuana. Why
would we want to provide a legal loophole to those dealers supplying drugs to the youth of our
community? The amount of work required by public officials and the cost to the public will
actually increase under this proposal. The new proposal includes an unfunded mandate requiring
communities to develop a citation system to record violations. Additionally, the Commonwealth
will be required to develop and provide a training curriculum for youthful offenders under age 18
at a substantial additional expense. If a person under 18 does not meet their obligations, the fine
will increase from $100 to $1000 and the parents will become jointly responsible for payment.
As to the issue of a person’s criminal record, an adjustment could easily be made by the
legislature to change the existing law.
As law enforcement officials, we have seen generations of young people use marijuana as a
gateway to harder drug use. We have seen too many young people become drug addicted and
enter a life of crime to support their drug habits. We have witnessed the devastation that drug
use has had on families and communities as a whole. I urge you to vote NO on Question Two.
Respectfully,
Terrence M. Cunningham
Chief of Police
Chief Terrence Cunningham has been a Wellesley Police Officer since 1983. He has served in a multitude of
assignments in Wellesley, and has served at every rank in the department. Chief Cunningham is a graduate of the
prestigious FBI National Academy, and was appointed Chief of Police in 1999. In December of 2008 he will
become the president of the Massachusetts Chief's of Police Association after serving as the vice president. Chief
Cunningham is married and is a resident of Wellesley, where he was born and raised.
assignments in Wellesley, and has served at every rank in the department. Chief Cunningham is a graduate of the
prestigious FBI National Academy, and was appointed Chief of Police in 1999. In December of 2008 he will
become the president of the Massachusetts Chief's of Police Association after serving as the vice president. Chief
Cunningham is married and is a resident of Wellesley, where he was born and raised.