CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) — Police officers have written about 850 tickets under the new Rhode Island law that classifies possession of small amounts of marijuana as a civil violation, state officials said.
The Providence Journal reports that between April 1, when the law took effect, and the end of July, magistrates levied more than $110,000 in fines for possession of an ounce or less of pot against 663 adults and 92 juveniles. The state has collected about $61,000 of those fines so far.
State police issued the most tickets, followed by officers in Providence, Warwick, Cranston and Pawtucket.
Traffic Tribunal Chief Magistrate William R. Guglietta says he is surprised by the large number of tickets issued, and says it may be due to the simplicity of the ticketing process.
