Pot fine ... $500. HOW MUCH???

The Woodstock City Council is poised tonight to establish new, higher fines for possession of cannabis or drug paraphernalia. Apparently, some whiners have complained about the unfairness of sticking it to some kid for $500 (minimum fine) for under-age possession or consumption of alcohol, but only slamming a kid with a minimum fine of $100 (maximum of $750) for a drug charge.

So tonight the City Council will very likely vote to raise the minimum $100 fine on a drug charge to $500.

Frankly, I think such a fine is abusive and that the amended ordinance should not be passed. In fact, lower the under-age alcohol fine from $500 to $100. When a first offender shows up, sentence him to $100 fine, court costs, community service and an alcohol education or treatment program. And make sure the kid has to pay the fine or work it off. It's totally unfair, in many cases, to stick it to a parent who can't control his or her kid.

If the violation recurs, increase the fine and sentence if the kid is found guilty.

Many of these charges are likely to end up in Woodstock's Administrative Adjudication Court, so that Woodstock can cut the Circuit Court out of its piece of the action. Woodstock keeps all the money.

Personally, I've always wondered about any criminal charge for possession of drug paraphernalia. If I walk around with a bong or a pipe and have nothing to smoke in it, why should I be breaking the law?

Because of the way that laws are made in Woodstock, residents will not learn about this until after the fact. Was a public hearing held on the merits or wisdom of this amendment? I didn't read anything about it.

It's not too late to show up at tonight's City Council meeting. It will be at the Woodstock City Hall, 7:00PM.