While only Louisiana’s state legislature has the authority to legalize recreational marijuana, it doesn’t mean New Orleans can’t decriminalize it.
New Orleans city council has voted to do just that – decriminalize simple possession of marijuana
The New Orleans City Council has passed several major agenda items to end penalties for small amounts of cannabis possession and will pardon about ten thousand convictions and pending cases.
According to a news release, the council was able to eliminate penalties to simple possession of marijuana in using its pardon power prospectively and retrospectively.
The press release highlights that anybody who receives a summons pertaining to simple possession is reportedly immediately forgiven with no additional action necessary by the accused, the officer, or the court; this means no court appearance and no police report are needed.
The council also says it cleared roughly 10,000 past convictions and pending cases of simple possession of marijuana by passing a motion enabling a blanket pardon of those charges.
Smoking marijuana will reportedly still be prohibited in public spaces and it will be a ticket in violation of the Smoke-Free Air Act which is not a drug charge.
“These new policies will help NOPD build community trust and use saved manpower hours to address major issues like shootings, murders, and the overall prevention of violence in our city,” said Council President Helena Moreno.
“We must begin to rethink the historical practices that have over-incarcerated, over-fined, and stigmatized our communities for decades. The time to end the criminalization of cannabis possession is now. I’m proud of what this City Council has accomplished today. This is historic.”
