Life in prison for pot?
If Prop. 64 passes, that could change

By BROOKE EDWARDS STAGGS / STAFF WRITER

One million people convicted of marijuana-related misdemeanors and felonies could petition to have their records changed or cleared, the nonprofit organization estimates. That would give them wider access to jobs, housing and other services that are currently out of reach.

“The criminal code changes are so profound that, even if I didn’t like other things in the initiative, I would vote for it just for that,” said Chris Conrad, a longtime marijuana activist who’s backing Prop. 64 even as many friends in the medical cannabis community remain divided over the measure.

But law enforcement could no longer use the smell of marijuana, or the presence of paraphernalia, as a basis for broader searches.

Conrad, who has served as an expert witness in some 2,500 marijuana-related cases, said removing weed as probable cause will eliminate a common point of contact with police that often escalates into something more serious.

“Out of all the court cases I have been involved with, probably 50 percent start off with cops saying they smell marijuana,” he said.

Read the whole article online at ocRegister.com.