Cleveland City Council is going to consider a proposal that was introduced this week that would eliminate fines and penalties for having small amounts of marijuana.
It was on Wednesday that the proposed ordinance was introduced by Ward 6 Councilman Blaine Griffin.
The ordinance would change laws for possessing, growing and giving away certain amounts of marijuana and would eliminate all fines, penalties and drug treatment requirements for having less than 200 grams of marijuana.
The ordinance would also eliminate penalties for giving someone 20 grams or less of the drug as a gift, except when near a school or a child.
Current law states that anyone possessing between 100 and 200 grams of marijuana can face up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine. People possessing less than 100 grams of the drug are found guilty of a minor misdemeanor and can face a $150 fine.
Griffin stated, “I think this is the modern-day prohibition. The war on drugs to keep marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug hasn’t worked. So therefore, it’s time for us to reexamine our laws and look at, are we actually out of the loop with what we should be doing around marijuana penalties.”
The proposed Cleveland ordinance will be debated in committee before it goes to the full council for a vote.
