The cradle of civil rights embraces marijuana decriminalization.
On Monday night, the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize marijuana. Gratified by the 15-0 vote, Mayor Kasim Reed fired off an encouraging tweet. Noting his intention to review and sign the legislation, the mayor thanked two specific councilmembers for their “leadership on marijuana reform.”
Thank you to @KwanzaHall & @KeishaBottoms for your leadership on marijuana reform. I look forward to reviewing & signing this legislation.
— Kasim Reed (@KasimReed) October 2, 2017
Decriminalized and not legalized
Once signed by Mayor Reed, the new ordinance will ensure that individuals caught with less than one ounce of marijuana in the City of Atlanta will no longer face six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Instead, those caught with less than an ounce of weed will face a fine of $75 – and zero incarceration time.
Worth noting, Atlanta City Councilwoman Yolanda Adrean offered a significant reminder during an April meeting, “If you get arrested by anybody but a city cop, you’re toast.”
Violators of Georgia’s draconian pot laws will still be prosecuted vigorously if caught with…