On Wednesday, Michael Nutter, mayor of Philadelphia, signed legislation decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana in the city. The law downgrades possession of 30 grams of marijuana or less to a mere civil offense and will go into effect on the 20th of this month. Reported by The Philadelphia Magazine:
Those possessing 30 grams or less of marijuana will be cited and fined $25. Those smoking in public will be cited and fined $100, or made to perform nine hours of community service.
But keep in mind, you can still be arrested for selling marijuana, possessing more than 30 grams, or driving under the influence of marijuana. This isn’t exactly the sweeping reform that legalization activists are fighting for, but it’s definitely a step up from, say, Oklahoma’s draconian marijuana laws.
The city will be doing outreach to make sure its citizens understand the new laws.
