Did you know Frisbee throwing is more dangerous than pot possession in the County of Los Angeles? Yep, it’s true! Last week, the County of Los Angeles created an ordinance on things you could and could not do at L.A. beaches. One of the things that stuck out like a sore thumb was the fine of $1,000 for throwing a Frisbee. This was not to be believed!
Under California state law, marijuana possession of an ounce or less costs a $100 fine and after passage of S.B. 1449, possession no longer goes on the offender’s record, it is now considered an infraction. With all due respect (yes, I am gritting my teeth), thank you Ex-Governor Schwarzenstoner!
Residents quickly saw the Frisbee throwing law as greedy cash hoarding by the County and when the media caught wind of it, the County reconsidered (CBS, 2012). Only a day later, the County announced that now when someone throws a Frisbee on the beach, they could face a fine for $100 for the first offense, a $200 fine for the second offense and a $500 fine for the third offense. That’s five times more than the fine for pot after the third offense! Hey, while we’re at it, why not send Frisbee throwers to jail for a year, on the fourth offense, for felony Frisbee throwing? Might as well!
This is a sad and laughable example of how marijuana, a Schedule I drug, that causes impaired driving and has high potential for abuse, is viewed as so innocent that a Frisbee ends up being the greater threat. If this is not an example of unintended consequences of drug decriminalization in California, I don’t know what is?
Guess if anyone gets caught with a Frisbee, they should just blame their dog and say; “Hey! That’s not my Frisbee! I don’t know how that ended up here? Ask my dog, maybe it’s his!”
