Feature

Neighborhood Spotlight: Cold Drinks, Hot Pretzels and Big Laughs at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This content was written and sponsored by The Keri Shull Team, Arlington’s top producing residential real estate team.

Where can you watch the latest blockbuster movies, attend a local film festival, or catch a live comedy show, all while enjoying a modern, full-service restaurant and bar? If you live in Arlington, it’s right around the corner!

The Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse is a unique combination of a full restaurant located inside a screening theater. Here, customers can enjoy a full restaurant and bar menu, complete with tableside service, while relaxing in oversized, lounge-style chairs. The “Drafthouse” replaced the Arlington Theater or “Old Arlington” as it was affectionately known in 1985.

The building itself is over 90 years old. Tucked behind the large movie screen, you can find the original theater stage equipped with lighting, storage and a green room.

This theater has had a rich history of entertaining D.C. and Virginia residents with great movies and local, live entertainment. According to the owners, if you look back over the last 70+ years and picked your most favorite movies, it is likely they have been featured here. Even better, the Drafthouse in 2016 expanded to launch “Drafthouse Comedy,” a unique comedy arts theater featuring everything from local standup to Comedy Giants like Carlos Mencia and Chris Kattan.

The very first thing you’ll read — in bright yellow — on the Drafthouse restaurant web page is to “Arrive Early And Order Early.” That’s because you, your date and the other 270 plus guests the Drafhouse accommodates will want to taste every section of the expertly-curated menu.

Start with appetizers like the Bavarian Pretzels with Spicy Queso, or the oversized Drafhouse Breadsticks dripping with cheese, pomodoro sauce, and marinara on the side. For your entree, you can’t go wrong with the hearty Asian Chicken or Beet salads, or the California Dreamin’ Flatbread, bursting with flavor thanks to its spicy pesto, grilled chicken and artichoke hearts.

Carnivores will love the BBQ Bacon Burger or the Buffalo Chicken Wrap, while vegetarian and vegan guests will appreciate the Spicy Veggie Burger — also available as a wrap — and the optional gluten-free Cauliflower Crust for vegan flatbreads.

Wash your delicious food down with Drafthouse signature drinks like the Pulp Fiction cocktail with grape vodka, casis, Sprite, and Blue Curacao; or the Sex & The City Martini, with cosmo citrus vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and fresh lime. Watching your favorite sports team?

Drafthouse has you covered with pitchers, bombers and tallboy cans of seasonal and local draft beers including Devil’s Backbone, Flying Dog and DC Brau — and also a full wine list for a lighter refreshment. You don’t even have to take our word for it — just ask one of the dozens of Yelp reviewers, like Louise:

“I’m usually not at all a fan of “bar/Bavarian-style pretzels” as they are typically too doughy and flavorless – but the pretzels are AMAZING. Flavorful, buttery, fluffy – they taste like larger versions of Auntie Anne’s pretzels. YUM.”

Wow! The Drafthouse’s reviews are almost as glowing as ours.

According to Owner Tim Clark, it’s the comedy that makes the Drafthouse truly special — from the national headlining acts to the local artists. Tim, who is partial to the seasonal and local draft beers at the theater, says his goal is to create a casual, relaxing environment where people can take a break from the stress of their day while enjoying the convenience of a full-service kitchen and bar at their seat.

So whether you need a good laugh, a date night, or a friends’ night out, come join us at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse — click here to plan your visit!

Want to live in an Arlington neighborhood just steps away from spots like this? Contact The Keri Shull Team at 703-952-7653 or [email protected]! We can’t wait to help you buy your next home!

Your Beermonger: Going (Not Entirely) Hopless

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

It’s that magical time of year, where flashes of not-miserably-cold weather fool a percentage of us in the area into thinking spring is here, and that we won’t get tagged by one more winter outburst.

As we dare to venture from our hovels and spend time with — hold on, what was that word? Ah, yes — “people” again, the occasion might call for something not quite packed to the gills with hop material.

With that in mind, here are some recent arrivals I’ve been recommending for those looking for tasty, non-IPA/hop-driven options — with one partial exception (you’ll see).

Rocket Frog Wallops Island (5.3% ABV)

Wallops Island, from Sterling’s Rocket Frog Brewing, checks a few boxes for me. It fills a need I’ve had here at Arrowine for a classic American Brown Ale, for one. It’s also is a great example of the style, with loads of caramel, chocolate and coffee malt flavors but dry, as it should be.

It picked up a Bronze medal at last year’s Great American Beer Festival, to boot. Not bad for a beer from a brewery in its first months of operation.

Von Trapp Helles (4.9% ABV); Pilsner (5.4% ABV)

Vermont’s Von Trapp Brewing (yes, those Von Trapps) has been available in Virginia for a little while now, specializing in Lagers that are both well priced and readily available. The Bohemian-style Pilsner and German-style Helles are both done in the classic style: the Pils has a crisp feel with pleasing floral/peppery aromas from its hops — but not IPA-level hoppy by any means.

The Helles adds light, bready malt notes to grassy, clean Noble hop flavors. Bonus: both are now available in cans!


Photo via Von Trapp Brewing Company

Väsen Savvon (9.2% ABV)

So this’ll be the outlier on the list; nearly twice as strong as the rest and with a notable dry-hop addition, but too cool not to mention. Richmond’s Väsen Brewing Company combines a number of influences, from Belgian Farmhouse beers to American IPAs, with ingredients mixing and matching as much as styles.

Savvon, the first beer of theirs to hit Northern Virginia in package, is a great example: a Brettanomyces-fermented, bottle conditioned Farmhouse Ale dry-hopped with a pair of Southern Hemisphere hops — Galaxy and Enigma — typically found in Hazy IPAs. Tropical hop flavors and aromas play well with the funky, fruity Brett character.

Green Man ESB (5.5% ABV)

An easy way to win my heart, as a brewery, is to produce a solid version of just about any British beer style. Asheville’s Green Man Brewing does just that with their ESB, with it’s crackery/bready/fruity malt character and traditional level of hoppiness.

Since I first got to try this about 8-9 years ago, I’ve wanted this beer in Virginia. Finally, it’s here and it’s not leaving Arrowine’s stock if I can help it.

Let me know in the comments if you’re looking for something new and I’ll try my best to make a suggestion that works.

Until next time.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

3810 N. Randolph Court
4 BR/3 BA, 1 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: Washington Fine Properties, Llc
Listed: $1,749,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

4012 Nelly Custis Drive
4 BR/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Avery-Hess Realtors
Listed: $1,149,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1821 N. Quesada Street
3 BR/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Washington Fine Properties, Llc
Listed: $934,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

3232 13th Street S.
2 BR/2 BA single-family home
Agent: Re/Max Premier
Listed: $825,000
Open: Saturday 12-2 p.m.

 

1633 N. Colonial Terrace #204
2 BR/2 BA, 1 half bath condo
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $649,900
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

3362 S. Wakefield Street A
2 BR/2 BA condo
Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Listed: $499,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

1050 N. Taylor Street 1-311
1 BR/1 BA condo
Agent: Century 21 Redwood Realty
Listed: $385,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Team Cathell, “Your Orange Line Specialists.”

Right on cue, the inventory floodgates opened this week.

It must be mid-March. That’s when traditional wisdom says it’s time to list your home, the spring market is here, and the buyers are out shopping.

This week sellers listed 70 homes giving buyers the most amount of choices so far this year. And buyers stepped up and ratified 57 contracts, some 19 of those were on homes that were listed for seven days or less. Arlington currently has only 239 homes actively for sale.

At this pace of absorption, that is only one month of inventory meaning if no more homes came on the market, all homes would be sold in one month. It’s also known as an extreme sellers’ market.

Here’s the craziest story heard this week: a $185,000 townhouse in Lorton listed “As Is” attracted 55 offers! It was on the market for five days.

This kind of market attracts every kind of buyer, and we are especially seeing more investors and flippers than usual. They are attracted to homes in need of much work and TLC, the kind of homes that scare away first-time home buyers and are too much work for end users who want fully updated conditions, even in vintage 1920’s-30’s homes. Whatever kind of buyer you may be, prepare for battle. The competition is brutal.

Mortgage rates continued to be kind to buyers this week with no major changes. The 30-yr fixed rate remains at 4.375%-4.5%. Helping to drive buyer activity is available credit. Lenders are flush with cash. So, there is a wide variety of liberal loan programs for all types of buyers enabling much lower down payments than we’ve seen in over 10 years.

Click to see all the fresh new inventory in MRIS and call Team Cathell (703-975-2500) when you find a home you like.

Boring Title: Brian Athey, CEO of Congressional Capital

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Title insurance is boring, but Allied Title & Escrow is here to decode the jargon and make it (somewhat) more interesting. This biweekly feature will explore the mundane (but very necessary!) world of title insurance while sharing interesting stories of two friends’ entrepreneurial careers.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Boring Title!

This week, Allied Title & Escrow’s CEO, Latane Meade, sits down with CEO of Congressional Capital, Brian Athey.

Brian talks about how Congressional Capital is different than other hard money lenders, why you would use a hard money lender instead of a conventional bank, gives a market update and more.

Have questions related to title insurance? Email Latane and Matt at [email protected]. Want to use Allied Title & Escrow when you buy a home? Tell your agent when you buy a house to write in Allied Title & Escrow as your settlement company!

Legal Review: Feres Doctrine Stands After Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Case

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

By Medical Malpractice Attorney John H. Fisher of John H. Fisher, PC

When patients suffer from medical negligence, they can file a lawsuit and receive compensation for damages in a court of law, unless you are an active service member in the United States military.

For the 1.3 million active duty military, Feres legal doctrine prevents medical malpractice lawsuits from being filed against the United States government. While one case recently tried — and failed — to challenge the law by appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, there has been a push to grant our military members the same justice and rights as citizens.

On March 9, 2014, Lt. Rebekah “Moani” Daniel died four hours after giving birth to her daughter, Victoria, at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Washington, where Lt. Daniel lost more than a third of her body’s volume of blood from post-partum hemorrhaging.

As a result of the 69-year-old Feres doctrine, Lt. Daniel and her heirs are prohibited from seeking justice by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against military personnel or military medical facilities. Lt. Daniels’ widower, Walter Daniel, alleges medical malpractice in his wife’s death and has been arguing that fact in the lower courts.

Feres v. United States is a landmark 1950 case that established service members or their families cannot file medical malpractice claims. Feres is an archaic law and one that several Supreme Court justices have denounced over the years. Originally, the law was only meant to keep troops from filing a claim if they were hurt as a result of combat, not when they were removed from combat settings. Mr. Daniel has not been successful in overturning the Feres doctrine after the Supreme Court refused to take up the case.

For now, the Feres doctrine remains intact. “It is a disgrace that the country does not provide justice for the men and women who risk their lives for our nation every day,” says John Fisher of John H. Fisher, PC. “This case deserved to be heard by the Supreme Court, and it is tragic that it was not. This means that our troops will continue to be denied justice while serving our country.”

The Military Health System has changed dramatically in the 69 years since Feres was first adopted. While Mr. Daniel’s petition may have resulted in failure, advocates for overturning the Feres doctrine are calling for a change that will grant U.S. service members the same rights as those they protect.

Small Biz Focus: Getting Noticed — The Star Power of Your Business

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/2

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

By Tara Palacios

2019

The age of information sharing is moving at lightning speed. Each day thousands of internet activities take place in under a minute. Social media, emails, advertising and online sales. Your customers are constantly bombarded with information. According to a recent study by @LoriLewis and @OfficiallyChad, 188 million emails are sent every 60 seconds in 2019.

SO, just how does your business stand apart from others? With information 24/7 — how can your business attract new clients with so much activity going on per minute? This Small Business Focus blog has answers, and a concrete action item below.

Tara’s Quick Tips to Getting Noticed

Find Your Voice — Speak at industry events. Post articles on blogs (like ARLnow) or industry papers.  Be heard where your customers and influencers congregate. Be Present. Be the subject matter expert, and all things pertinent to your business.

Excellent Customer Service — Be known for going that extra mile for your customers. Anticipate your customer’s needs, and be proactive with business intelligence. Channel your customers and create positive experiences for them 24/7.

Leader in Your Field — Don’t be a follower. Be an innovator. Figure out best practices in your industry and go for the gold. Don’t be afraid of calculated risks. Create dynamic teams and cultivate a culture of creativity and trust.

Identify the Missing Link(s) in Your Industry — Where are the opportunities? What does your industry need (I.e., what is it lacking?) and how can you best address it? Find winning solutions and connect the dots for others. This will always keep you ahead of your competition.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat — As with all good things keep the momentum going. Don’t stop. Build up the pipeline. Positivity is infectious. Each day exhibit your personal brand of getting noticed in a sea of businesses.

If you’d like to learn more getting noticed in a crowded field — join us for a dynamic presentation on April 4 at BizLaunch when Zack Miller presents on “Anomaly: How to Finally Stand Out in a Crowd.”

This workshop provides easy-to-implement methods for business owners and marketing professionals to turn heads, leave an impression and become the anomaly! Award-winning television host and businessman Miller will provide the audience a blueprint of what they can do TODAY to grow their brand and stand out from their competitors.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Wingo

By ARLnow.com
1/4

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Wingo, a Chinese crested dog with a taste for paper products.

Here’s what his owner, Brook, had to say about him:

This is Wingo! He’s a hairless Chinese Crested who just turned 2 in January. Fun story: his mom fell in love with the breed many years ago after pet-sitting one and after waiting 6 years, who did she luck into finding at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington in January 2018 but this cutie! It was meant to be.

Admittedly, Wingo is a pretty weird dog in both looks and personality (said in the most loving way!). He loves eating paper products, much to his parents’ dismay, and feathers which he steals from all the pillows. He’s currently taking a nosework training class that focuses on scent-finding, which he absolutely loves! He also flaunts his nudity and becomes incredibly pouty when forced to wear clothes (especially costumes). He’s super cuddly and always want to be snuggled up to his parents, so much so that he gets to sleep in between them in (under the covers!) at night. His nickname around his friends is ‘King Wing’ because he’s a pretty spoiled only child, but those big brown eyes are pretty hard to resist!

He lives around VA Square, so if you see him out on a walk (he’s rather unmistakable) be sure to stop and say hi!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of six consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by licensed broker Aaron Seekford of Arlington Realty, Inc. GET MORE out of your real estate investment with Aaron and his team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6116 today!

Please note: While Aaron Seekford provides this information for the community, he may not be the listing agent of these homes.

The love keeps pouring in for Arlington.

After Niche.com named Arlington the best county in Virginia last year, Arlington was just named the best city to live in America for 2019. Yes, you read that correctly, we’re the No. 1 place to call home in the whole country!

Rounding out the top five were Ann Arbor, Michigan, Berkeley, California, The Woodlands, Texas and Plano, Texas.

So, what makes Arlington so darn spectacular? Within this ranking are a few nuggets that we received an A+ grade on, including:

  • Public schools
  • Good for families
  • Health and fitness
  • Nightlife

When you’re ready to settle into a home of your own in our A+ city, our team is ready to help you GET MORE out of your transaction. In the meantime, enjoy living in our No. 1 city.

Cheers, Arlingtonians!

As of March 11, there are 136 detached homes, 16 townhouses and 100 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 13 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Aaron Seekford.

Ask Eli: What to Inspect Before Buying a Home

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Rosslyn resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: I’m hoping to purchase a home this year and wondering what types of inspections I’ll be able to do on the home before buying it and about how much they will cost.

Answer: Most sales contracts include an Inspection Period (usually 3-14 days after an offer is accepted) for buyers to conduct various inspections of their choice on the property. Depending on how the contract is structured, buyers may have the right to negotiate for repairs or credits based on the findings and/or the right to terminate the contract.

Standard/Common Inspections

General Inspection: This is the most common inspection for buyers to conduct with costs ranging from about $300-$1,000 depending on the size, age and type of the home. A General Inspector is hired by the buyer and works for the buyer, not for the seller or the buyer’s agent.

A general inspection is classified as a “visual inspection” of the surface, structural and mechanical components of a home like appliances, flooring, electrical, plumbing, foundation and other elements which includes running all mechanical components they can access. Your inspector cannot open up walls or floors and, in many cases, cannot climb on roofs.

A good inspector will be able to identify many of the home’s flaws through the general inspection as well as identify any signs that further specialty inspections are needed (see below). Some inspectors carry high-end thermal readers to find evidence of moisture, poor insulation, or faults in the ductwork.

After the inspection, you’ll receive a detailed report with photos, descriptions and recommendations of everything the inspection covered. An extra benefit of an inspection is that you’ll learn a lot about how your home works and property maintenance.

Radon Testing: Radon is toxic gas from the ground that is known to cause cancer with prolonged exposure above certain levels (EPA website). Most homes in Northern Virginia have an average to above average risk of elevated radon levels and it is impossible to know without testing. Radon levels can vary widely from one house to another on the same block.

I always recommend buyers test for radon if they have basement/below ground living areas (radon generally doesn’t impact above-ground levels). The test is relatively inexpensive ($150-$200) and most general inspectors can administer the radon test as well, which requires a small box to sit in the basement for 2-3 days.

In the event of elevated radon levels, radon remediation systems are highly effective and usually cost about $1,000.

Wood-Destroying Insect (WDI) Inspection: Around here this is primarily an inspection for termites or carpenter bees. With a cost of $50 or less it makes sense for buyers to order this for a purchase of a townhouse or single-family detached home (generally not necessary for a condo).

Of note, the Northern Virginia Sales Contract requires sellers to cover the cost of any treatment or repairs related to WDI. This can usually be ordered with the general inspection or separately with a pest company.

Specialty Inspections

In some cases, it makes sense to bring in specialists for additional inspections. This may be on the recommendation of your General Inspector or for a number of other reasons.

Ultimately, this comes down to a cost-benefit analysis by you and your agent because you can easily spend thousands of dollars on specialty inspections. The following is not an exhaustive list of specialty inspections, but those that tend to be the most common. Cost estimates do vary.

  1. HVAC Inspection ($150+)
  2. Chimney Inspection (free-$200): A structural flaw in a chimney or a failing liner can be very expensive or unsafe if you plan to use the fireplace. A chimney inspection will include a scope of the interior of the chimney.
  3. Roof Inspection (free-$200)
  4. Mold Testing ($150+): Ranges from air sampling to testing of a specific area with known mold.
  5. Lead Testing (varies): If you suspect lead-based paint or want to test for lead in the water. This is worth further discussion around lead and lead paint with your agent.
  6. Structural Inspection ($250-$1,000+): Settling and settlement cracks are normal, but signs of continuous or abnormal settlement warrant a visit from a structural engineer. A good General Inspector will be able to tell you whether or not further structural evaluation is recommended.
  7. Water/Sewer/Gas Line Inspection ($500+): The main lines connecting your water, sewer and gas from the public lines to your home are expensive failure points, with replacement usually costing $5k-$10k in addition to repairing any landscaping, driveway, etc torn up in the process. Tree roots are a common cause of damage. These inspections involve scoping of the entire line and get pretty expensive. An alternative to paying for these inspections is purchasing relatively cheap insurance through Dominion Energy’s insurance partner HomeServe.
  8. Electrical Inspection ($200-$500): If there are concerns over the quality of the electrical system/installation, you can hire an electrician for further evaluation.
  9. Plumbing Inspection ($200+): If there are concerns over the quality of the plumbing lines, you can hire a plumber for further evaluation and, for an additional cost, scope the plumbing lines.
  10. Pool Inspection (varies)

I usually recommend starting with the standard inspections and adding additional inspections as needed. If you want to include a bunch of specialty inspections in addition to the standard inspections, you’ll want to make sure your contract provides enough time in the Inspection Period to complete all of them and set that expectation with the seller up-front, especially if the home is occupied.

Keep in mind that even with a full Inspection Contingency in place, with the right to negotiate for repairs and credits, there’s no guarantee that after paying thousands of dollars for inspections that the seller will agree to repair, replace, or credit everything you ask them to.

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, (202) 518-8781.

Legal Review: Virginia’s Attorney General Wants to Decriminalize Marijuana

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

By Criminal Defense Attorney Floyd Oliver of Price Benowitz LLP

In June, Virginia’s Attorney General, Mark Herring, wrote an op-ed in the Daily Press.

It called for the state to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana possession and to stop sending innocent people to jail. The letter received bipartisan support, which means Virginia could see decriminalization very soon.

“It is about time,” said Floyd Oliver of Price Benowitz. “Every time legalization occurs in another state, it makes Virginia’s laws look more and more outdated. The Attorney General was absolutely correct. It is time to stop disproportionally targeting African Americans, which is what the current law does, and stop sending anyone to jail that does not deserve to be there.”

The plea from the Attorney General comes at a time when marijuana possession convictions are increasing in Virginia. In 2003, approximately 13,000 Virginians were arrested on marijuana possession charges. In 2017, almost 28,000 people faced charges, an increase of 115 percent.

Those charged face harsh penalties, too. Even a first offense misdemeanor charge could land a person in jail for up to 30 days, and they could be required to pay a fine of $500. A second offense, even for a small amount of marijuana, has consequences of up to a full year in jail and fines up to $2,500.

Those convictions are costing Virginians approximately $81 million a year in additional taxes. However, the social cost is much greater than that. Like in many other states across the country, possession laws seem to target individuals of color.

From 2007 to 2016, the Virginia Crime Commission reports, African Americans saw the most arrests. In fact, they made up 46 percent of all possession arrests.

This is not the first time the idea of decriminalization has been raised in Virginia. Last year, Virginia’s Senate Majority Leader, Thomas K. Norment, Jr. sponsored a proposed bill that would decriminalize the drug, but that effort failed. Now, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pushing for decriminalization, it may just be the time to end the unfair criminal charges.

Decriminalization is not the same as legalization. If a new law decriminalizing the drug was passed, those found in possession of marijuana would still face penalties. However, those consequences would be much less severe and would likely be the equivalent of a traffic ticket.

View More Stories