The NYPD has run into a paperwork problem with their new marijuana policy. When police write out a summons for people who get caught smoking pot they have to write the citation up as unlawful possession of marijuana because smoking marijuana is still listed as a misdemeanor, for which a summons cannot be issued.That means until the state laws are changed to differentiate between smoking and possessing weed the NYPD will have to go through the summonses by hand.
A spokesperson for the NYPD says the department was aware of the summons problem and is working to correct the issue as fast as possible but they went ahead with the change so as not to delay the implementation of the policy.
An article published in the New York Post stated that an automated process that will be able to make a distinction between summonses written for smoking or possessing marijuana is currently in the developmental phase.
The number of marijuana summonses issued has gone up from 12,000 in 2013 to over 20,000 in 2017. Police brass say the increase in summonses is a result of the NYPD's 25 gram or less arrest policy which was implemented in 2014.
Photo Credit: Getty Images