Pot Fine Proposal Moves Forward in Florida County

Miami-Dade County is one step closer to issuing citations for marijuana possession instead of handcuffs.

The county’s Metropolitan Services panel approved the measure 5-1 Wednesday, according to the Sun-Sentinel. The ordinance being pitched would give local police officers the ability to issue $100 citations instead of making misdemeanor arrests for possession of 20 grams of less, the paper noted. Officers could still make arrests if they chose to.

As it stands right now, Miami-Dade officers may either arrest people caught with small amounts of marijuana or let them go completely. When arrests are made, they can result in as much as a year of jail time, the Miami Herald reported.

“This will give us a middle alternative,” Commissioner Sally Heyman was quoted by the Herald as saying.

The fate of the proposal remains in the hands of the County Commission, which is scheduled to vote June 30. After that, Mayor Carlos Gimenez will have the option of approving it or vetoing it.

The South Florida proposal follows a national trend toward decriminalizing marijuana. Several states, including Washington, have legalized recreational use and possession. A total of 15 states now treat minor possession as a civil offense.

Florida voters have yet to take up the topic of legalizing recreational marijuana, but did vote down last year a constitutional amendment that would have made medical marijuana more accessible to patients. A new petition drive has been launched to bring the measure back before Florida voters down the road.

What are your thoughts on the proposal? Should other counties consider moving in the same direction? Tell us what you think by commenting below.

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