Nutter Agrees To Sign Bill Softening Marijuana Laws in Philadelphia

[Garion_55]

Source: CBS Philly

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Mayor Nutter today agreed to sign into law a bill that essentially decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana. But he says he’ll sign it only after City Council tweaks certain details of the measure.

The original bill, authored by councilman Jim Kenney, would have police issuing citations akin to a parking ticket for possession of one ounce of pot or less.

The Nutter administration and police officials had reservations about that approach. Now, Kenney and the mayor have reached agreement on a compromise: the infraction would result in what’s called a “non-summary civil offense.”

“We’ve gotten to a place where it is out of the criminal realm,” Kenney said today. “There’s no more handcuffs, no more bookings, no more criminal record. Police will not have to leave their posts and go to the station house to deal with this. People will pay a fine based on the offense: $25 for the possession of anything under an ounce.”


Read more: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/09/08/nutter-agrees-to-sign-bill-softening-marijuana-laws-in-philadelphia/

[dotymed]

1. A great, commonsense first step. n/t

[Ed Suspicious]

2. Great. But why have a fine at all? You're essentially saying pot is at the level

of jaywalking. Why not just go all the way and legalize? Seems like it's being kept on the books as an opportunity for cops to harass and not for any real public health/safety concerns. Enough with the bullshit half measures. Do the right thing.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. They can't

It is still illegal in PA. They don't even have a medical marijuana or cannabis oil rule on the books. Cities can't move for legalization until the state clears the way, and last I saw, the state was waiting for the Feds.

[cosmicone]

3. There is a politician named "Nutter?"

No kidding? Right?

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended now if PA would just legalize cannabis.

Thanks for the thread, Garion.