Philadelphia Lawmaker: It's 'High' Time To Decriminalize Marijuana Possession

By Mike Dunn

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - More than three years after Philadelphia's District Attorney downgraded marijuana possession to a simple summary offense -- meaning no jail time -- a City Councilman wants to downgrade it further, so possession is decriminalized entirely.

Councilman Jim Kenney supports the 2010 decision of DA Seth Williams to make possession of a small amounts a pot a summary offense. That results in a fine and education, but no jail time.

Kenney wants to go a step further, so police would issue a summons with the same penalties, but no formal arrest:

"The purpose of arresting a person who's not going to be prosecuted in the first place seems to make no sense to me," he says. "Four thousand arrests, three- and four-million dollars a year in (city) costs, time police spend off the street booking the person, an arrest is a traumatic experience to begin with, to spend time in lock-up for a situation that's only going to get a fine and an education class anyway."

The current penalty for about one ounce of pot is $300 dollars and a three-hour drug class.

Kenney's proposal will be debated in committee.

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