Doylestown Borough Passes Ordinance Relaxing Marijuana Penalties

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Doylestown Borough has become the 15th municipality in Pennsylvania to relax penalties for residents who are charged with marijuana possession.

Borough council voted 8-1 to pass an ordinance that directs the Central Bucks Regional Police Department to issue a non-summary violation and a $25 fine when a person is arrested in the borough for marijuana possession under 30 grams, which is currently a misdemeanor under state law.

Council member Joseph Flood was the lone dissenting vote against the legislation, calling it "one of the worst ordinances I've ever had to vote on as a council member."

In his reasoning, Flood stated he felt the borough should have taken the advice of Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub, who previously advised against passing the ordinance, preferring that law enforcement agencies be allowed to use their discretion on a case-by-case basis.

"We at the DA's office divert 100 percent of Bucks County citizens who are arrested for possession of marijuana into a treatment diversionary program," Weintraub said at a March meeting of the borough's public safety committee. If they complete the program, the charge is expunged from their record.

Flood also reiterated that he felt the borough lacked the legal standing to pass the ordinance.

"I believe council lacks the authority to do this," he said.

Central Bucks Regional Police Chief Karl Knott supported the borough's decision. He noted in previous meetings that a marijuana possession charge can create obstacles for young people with college aspirations.

Borough councilwoman Noni West said nothing about the ordinance was groundbreaking, as 14 other Pennsylvania municipalities have relaxed their marijuana enforcement and 14 states have decriminalized marijuana possession.

"This is a small step we can take as a municipality toward criminal justice reform," West said. "We can focus our police services where they are most needed and ensure the future of our young people without them having a criminal background."

The Doylestown legislation is modeled after an ordinance passed in October by West Norriton Township, which became the second Montgomery County municipality to decriminalize marijuana after Norristown did it in 2019. In Lehigh County, the city of Bethlehem voted to decriminalize weed, which led to divisions between the city and its police department.

The ordinance will officially take effect next week.

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