New Orleans and Tampa Decriminalize Marijuana

Marijuana decriminalization is taking hold in more and more municipalities every month, meaning lower penalties, no jail time and hopefully people never having a permanent record for getting caught with a small amount of pot.

On March 17, the New Orleans City Council unanimously approved a process for officers to write tickets for first-time marijuana offenses rather than make arrests. According to the Marijuana Policy Project, Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed the bill on March 23 and it goes into effect on January 21, 2017.

Also on March 17 in Florida, the Tampa City Council passed a similar ordinance in a 5-1 vote. Mayor Bob Buckhorn signed the ordinance into law on March 21, 2016.

Other decrim cities include Ann Arbor, MI.; Berkeley, CA.; Columbia, MO.; Miami, FL.; Santa Fe, NM and Toledo, OH.