> Advocates say misdemeanor marijuana charges, which require that the drug is in plain sight, are a bellwether, because the police ordered thousands to empty po

> Advocates say misdemeanor marijuana charges, which require that the drug is in plain sight, are a bellwether, because the police ordered thousands to empty pockets, and arrested them. Stop-and-frisk in NYC is very closely linked to marijuana laws. To give some context on the ridiculousness of marijuana laws in New York: Marijuana has been decriminalized in New York since the 1970s. It was originally included as part of the Rockefeller Drug Laws, guaranteeing lengthy mandatory minimum sentences, but after a bunch of kids were getting caught with dime bags, the PTAs[0] lobbied to issue an exception for possession of less than 25 grams[1]. Unfortunately, they included a loophole: if the marijuana is either burning or "in plain sight", it receives the same penalty as if it were over 25 grams, regardless of the amount. So, police can simply tell people to empty their pockets, and - presto! - the marijuana is 'open to public view'. This loophole is so widely exploited that, despite the fact that marijuana is decriminalized in New York, New York City arrests more people for non-violent, low-level marijuana possession and more people per capita for non-violent, low-level marijuana possession than any other city in the entire world[2]. [0] I kid you not! [1] Not a full ounce, just 25 grams: http://norml.org/laws/item/new-york-penalties-2 http://norml.org/laws/item/new-york-penalties-2 [2] https://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2011/02/2010-nyc-marijuana-arrest-numbers-released-50383-new-yorkers-arrested-possessing-small- https://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2011/02/2010-nyc-marijuana-a...