Tampa City Council Votes to Lessen Marijuana Penalties

City Council

In Florida, the Tampa City Council has given preliminary approval to a measure that would lessen the penalty for possessing marijuana. According to the WFLA, the council voted 6-1 on March 3, 2016, to give law enforcement the discretion to issue a citation for marijuana possession instead of an arrest, with discretion being the operative word.

Under the proposed measure, law enforcement officials would still have the ability to arrest marijuana offenders, but now they have the ability to issue citations instead. First time offenders would be fined $75, those caught for a second time would be fined $150, and those caught three times or more would pay a $450.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, the measure will now go before the city council once more for a final vote, which is expected to pass, on March 17. It will then go before Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn for approval, who has previously voiced support for the measure.

William Sumner is a freelance writer and marijuana journalist located in Panama City, FL. Passionate about writing, William is dedicated to journalistic integrity and providing quality insight on current events. You can follow him on Twitter @W_Sumner.

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