Kitsap County prosecutor to drop pot possession cases, too

PORT ORCHARD -- Kitsap County prosecutor Russ Hauge has become the latest in the state to drop criminal cases against defendants charged with marijuana possession.

After the passage of the marijuana legalization measure on the Nov. 6 ballot, prosecutors in King, Pierce and Clark counties announced they would drop cases against those charged with simple possession of marijuana.

Under the new law, which will take effect Dec. 6, adults 21 and older will be able to possess and use up to an ounce of marijuana.

The Kitsap Sun reported Wednesday that Hauge estimated that between 20 and 100 cases will be dropped in Kitsap County. Hauge doesn’t believe juries will convict pot possession defendants after voters approved Initiative 502, the pot legalization measure, the Sun said.

As in the other counties, people charged with crimes beyond pot possession will still face prosecution.