Ark City police arrested and jailed two Ark City residents last week for marijuana.
According to a news release from the police department Thursday, the ACPD received a tip of possible drug activity at a residence in town and officers began investigating a house
located in the 1100 block of Tyler Avenue.
Information was developed that led officers to apply for a search warrant for the residence served on Monday, Dec. 19. During service of the warrant, officers contacted 24-year-old Jason Hunt-Kendrick and 21-year-old Forrest Kendrick. Officers found suspected marijuana and drug use paraphernalia in the home, along with a firearm that reportedly was in possession of Hunt-Kendrick.
Both subjects were arrested and transported to the Cowley County Jail, where both have since been released on bonds.
Charges included possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and criminal possession of a firearm for Hunt-Kendrick and possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia for Kendrick.
The ACPD also released the above information on its Facebook page and the post received over 75 comments overwhelmingly critical of the arrests, calling for the legalization of marijuana and to focus on methamphetamine instead.
Kansas is just one of four states in the nation where marijuana is fully illegal. Cannabis is fully legal and decriminalized in Colorado and Missouri. In March, voters in Oklahoma will decide to move from medicinal use, which is allowed now, to fully legal recreational use.
In Nebraska, marijuana is partially decriminalized, but is still fully illegal.
A bill to legalize medicinal marijuana in Kansas is expected when the legislature begins its next session.
Public comments on the arrests can be read via the link below:
