CAUTION New York: "Decriminalized" not Recreational

Two months ago, I was doing a final presentation in my philosophy class on the study of social instinct. It was a long week of finals in my other classes, so this last one, I decided to meet with a colleague of mine named Ron who also finished to smoke one of our casual pre-rolled J's. I do not only smoke for recreational purposes because a few years ago I had a tumor, so it helps me ease the pressure in my head when I get tension. I also do not like prescription medication, because it makes me feel uneasy after usage. So before I leave my house, I pack a few doobie's inside my Altoids box ... just in case ;) (tip: leave some mints in there).

We met up on the corner of 23rd & 3rd and walked uptown a few blocks to the hidden alleyway park we always go. While almost there, I decided to light the joint a little early for some reason. The only problem was I didn't have a BIC lighter, so Ron gave me his zippo (which is always a bad idea btw). As I attempted to light this joint like an idiot, I received a familiar hoot** hoot** coming from the left of me. It was two police officers in a squad car giving me the stink eye, and I frantically crushed the joint in my hand. One of the officers asked me

"Hey, what's in your hand right there!"

I showed him my lighter which was in my right hand.

"No! The other hand."

I opened my left hand to reveal a little white ball of what was once a beautiful joint. The officers at that point got out of their cars and began to run their routine. They took the ball from me and asked me what it was. I told them it was a J and joked of my failed attempt of being low key about it (they didn't laugh). They asked for both our ID's, and I remembered Ron telling me a week before that he was on probation for another incident. I then told the police officers that it was my fault, and Ron was not involved in my action besides giving me a lighter.

As they went to their cars to check us, I told Ron not to worry because it's going on me, but the look on his face resembled a man about to be put in handcuffs. A good thing to note that when it comes to smoking weed in manhattan or any populated place for that matter, a primary location is not always the safest. The cops came back 30 min later, Ron was let off the hook because I was the one holding the joint. They gave me a summons of over $100 plus a court date with a pending criminal misdemeanor. I thought it's been decriminalized for reactional use?! It turns out I was wrong, and to think that already so many states have been allowing people to toke up. Wake up New York, but also shame on me for not being smarter to look before I spark.

P.S: My court date is on July 6 if your curious so I have until then to figure out what to do.

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