A small amount of marijuana won’t mean a criminal record in Broward County, as Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor intends to reduce the number of pot cases.
“Prosecuting these cases has no public safety value and is a costly and counterproductive use of limited resources,” Pryor wrote in a memo.
Any existing misdemeanor marijuana case in Broward will be examined under the new policy of not pursuing charges. Juveniles who possess marijuana will be referred to diversion programs under the new policy, which is effective immediately.
Attorney Bill Gelin, who has criticized law enforcement for pursuing drug cases, in minority communities, said Pryor’s policy of declining all cases was fair to reduce such prosecutions.
“When police had the discretion to chose who to charge and who to send to treatment, it smacked of injustice,” Gelin said. “The new policy is justice.”
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