Milwaukee Mayor Signs Measure Reducing Penalty for Cannabis Possession by 90%

Milwaukee Mayor Signs Measure Reducing Penalty for Cannabis Possession by 90%

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has signed into law a measure reducing the penalty for cannabis possession by 90%. The measure passed the city’s Common Council earlier this month with a 10 to 3 vote.

The new law reduces the penalty for someone caught possessing up to 25 grams of cannabis from a $500 fine, to a maximum fine of $50. Unfortunately the proposal only effects an individuals first-time cannabis possession offense, meaning subsequent offenses will remain a potential misdemeanor.

Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin, and the 31st most populous city in the United States, with a population of roughly 600,000.

Legislation to legalize cannabis possession and cultivation at the state-level was filed recently in Wisconsin’s House and Senate. Assembly Bill 246 currently sits in the House Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, and Senate Bill 167 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

– TheJointBlog