West Idaho Sheriff Prefers to Fine Not Jail Pot Smokers

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The sheriff in a western Idaho border county is encouraging deputies to cite rather than arrest every pot smoker caught on the wrong side of Oregon's recreational pot law.

The Idaho Statesman reports Payette County Sheriff Chad Huff says he wants to keep marijuana smokers out of the county's jail by citing them rather than arresting them. As of July 1, when Oregon's law when into effect, deputies are being encouraged to use their discretion when deciding whether to arrest someone for possession of marijuana.

Huff said he's also asked judges and prosecutors in the county to consider alternatives to jail time when sentencing people convicted of marijuana possession.