NORTH YORK BOROUGH, Pa. (WHTM) — On the same day when 83 million Germans learned they could have small amounts of marijuana without facing arrest, 2,216 Pennsylvanians (the U.S. Census estimated population of this borough) might be just four weeks away from — similarly — not facing arrest for possessing less than an ounce of the drug.

“We’re not advocating drug use. We’re not telling anybody who isn’t already smoking marijuana to start smoking marijuana,” said David Bolton, the borough manager.

Bolton, citing Northern York Regional Police Department statistics, said in 2023, 26 adults and two juveniles were arrested in the borough for possession of amounts of marijuana that would no longer be criminal under the new law, if it passes. The juveniles went to diversion programs and won’t have a criminal record.

“But as far as the other 26, they were prosecuted,” Bolton said. “They were put through the court system, of course. PennDOT suspended their licenses. Now they’ve got a criminal record, so any time they go for a job that’s going to come up as well.”

As in other Pennsylvania municipalities that have made similar changes, people caught with a small amount of weed could still receive a citiation, similar to a speeding ticket, because municipalities can decriminalize not legalize marijuana, a move many Pennsylvania Democrats and some Republicans have called for but that has not become state law.

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If at least three out of five borough members of the boroughs Democrat-majority council vote March 12 in favor of the legislation — and if Mayor Nancy Brunk (R) either signs it or lets it become law without signing it — marijuana would become decriminalized five days later, March 17. If Brunk vetoes the legislation, decriminalization could still happen but only after a future meeting, if four council members vote to override the veto.

Democrats are generally more likely than Republicans to favor legalization or decriminalization, but the lines sometimes blur. For example, a few prominent Republican state senators favor of legalization.

On the other hand, Michael Clune — a professor (at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio), writer and recovering drug addict since a heroin arrest decades ago — considers himself a liberal on most issues, like many of his friends. But decriminalization “is where I break with them.”

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Clune said his arrest was one of the best things that happened to him.

“Very frequently, as was my case and the case of of many others, we’re only brought to recovery in the face of severe consequences,” he said.

He acknowledged heroin is a more serious and more dangerous drug than marijuana, which is all North York would decriminalize.

“That said, I believe some of the same arguments I would use in relation to decriminalization of hard drugs would apply to marijuana,” Clune said.

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