Philadelphia Mayor to Sign Cannabis Decriminalization Bill, After Some Changes
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has announced that he will sign legislation to decriminalize cannabis possession, but only after the City Council makes some changes to a bill they approved in June with a 13 to 3 vote.
Under the proposal approved by the Council, the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis would result in no more than a $25 ticket. Mayor Nutter, however, wants the bill to be amended so that the public consumption of cannabis is an $100 ticket, and so that anyone who receives a ticket would need to appear before a Municipal Court judge, though they would receive no criminal record.
According to Councilor Jim Kenney who introduced the bill, its approval would stop over 4,000 arrests for simple cannabis possession from occurring every year.
The City Council is expected to make the requested changes to the bill this Thursday once they return from recess, and it should receive one final vote a week later.
– TheJointBlog
Janet Evans
No! We do NOT want the courts filled with cannabis users. NO! It is a waste of taxpayer money and the fine is too high when there should be no fine. Fight it Philadelphia. No one should be in court for using cannabis
pua mana
so they save 4,000 arrests. And turn it into 400,000 dollars of Revenue ! Yay Freedom !
Matty Doherty
No, this is just not good enough. Smoke Free!!