The Chicago Tribune reports that the city's new "pot
ticket" law goes into effect during the middle of Lollapalooza, but the
new system of a $250 fine (for the first offence) for possession of less that
15 grams of cannabis won't apply to the festival in Grant Park because it's
Chicago Park District property. That exception to the new rules means that
police instead will continue to arrest those caught - although last year,
police made exactly zero marijuana-related arrests among the 270,000 people who
passed through the Lollapalooza gates. Chicago has moved to decriminalise
cannabis and officials with C3 Presents, the festival's promoters, declined
comment to the Tribune although they drew attention in 2006 when
Lollapalooza-branded rolling papers were given out at a news conference in
advance of the Festival.
A Chicago Police Department order issued last
week on how to enforce the new ordinance lays out several "aggravating
factors" that require arrest for even small amounts of pot. In addition to
the rule about Park District property, people caught in the act of smoking
marijuana — as opposed to just possessing it — also still will be subject to
arrest. So will those police deem "under the influence of cannabis and in
control of a motor vehicle." People caught with marijuana on school
property will be taken into custody, along with people police believe intend to
sell the marijuana they have in their possession. Subsequent tickets for
possession of pot attract a $500 fine.
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