Two elected officials with local ties are backing a bill in the state legislature that would downgrade the possession of certain drugs from a felony to a misdemeanor.
The bill, which is supported by state Attorney General Peter Neronha, would amend the Uniform Controlled Substances Act to reclassify simple possession of 10 grams or less as a two-year misdemeanor. This includes cocaine, heroin, PCP, LSD and methamphetamine. Marijuana already was decriminalized in Rhode Island in 2013, and medical marijuana has been legal since 2006. State Sen. Dawn Euer, a Democrat who represents Newport and Jamestown, is co-sponsoring the bill.
By defelonizing certain levels of drug use and possession, the hope is people will be able to seek addiction treatment rather than ending up in a cycle of drug use and arrests, according to Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey, a Warwick Democrat who introduced the bill. He said it is difficult for felons to find work after prison, and this bill may reduce that issue for people trying to get back on track. He cited success with defelonizing drugs in California and Utah.
