DEWEY BEACH, DE -- The Dewey Beach Town Council is considering adopting State regulations concerning personal use quantity of marijuana.
According to Dewey Beach Town Manager Bill Zolper, right now in Dewey Beach, there is a $200 civil penalty for any person caught with any amount of marijuana or drug paraphernalia.
State law, however, no longer penalizes personal possession of up to one ounce of weed, as long the person is at least 21 years old. Anyone younger than 21, must be fined $100 dollars for possession or use of up to one ounce for a first violation.
The town has now drafted an ordinance that would align with the State's regulations to discuss and eventually vote on.
"We felt it'd just be easier for our police officers, and easier for the public to understand," says Zolper. "So, when people come and they're in Rehoboth or they're in Lewes or they're in Wilmington and they come down here to Dewey Beach, ours is the same as everybody else in the state. It'd be easier for everybody to follow."
Local beachgoer Debbie H. says she supports the town adopting the state penalties for the same reason.
"It's good for the community to, you know, not be confused about what is allowed where," says Debbie. "Have it be consistent."
But others, like John Jaworski, aren't convinced it is the best idea for Dewey Beach Jaworski says he worries that lower level penalties could encourage people to test the town's boundaries.
"It's not a good situation," says Jaworski. "It's going to escalate things to a point where we have to hire more police officers to control the situation."
On Friday, March 15th, The Dewey Beach Town Council discussed the ordinance briefly but decided to continue considering how to move forward on the ordinance until a future meeting.