Decriminalizing Pot On Tampa Council's Radar Thursday

TAMPA, FL — Tampa residents who want to have their say on a proposal to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana will get their first chance on Thursday.

The Tampa City Council is holding a first reading of a proposed ordinance that would enable law enforcement officers to issue civil penalties instead of criminal ones for those caught with 20 grams or less of cannabis or paraphernalia when possession is “the only chargeable offense.”

Citing concerns that arrests in such cases are “disproportionate to the severity of the offense,” the ordinance would attach a $75 fine to a first offense. Those caught twice would pay $150 and third-time offenders would face a $300 fine. Fourth and subsequent offenses would cost those caught $450.

A public hearing for the proposal has been set for 10:30 a.m. March 3 in the Tampa City Council chambers, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd.

The decision to move forward with public hearings on the matter came in mid-February when the council voted unanimously to move the proposal to the public hearing phase. Thursday’s hearing is the first of two required before the proposal could be adopted by the city.

If the Tampa proposal becomes law, the city would join such other Florida communities as Miami-Dade, Fernandina Beach and Miami Beach in decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana. St. Petersburg is also considering a similar proposal.

To check out the draft ordinance, visit the City of Tampa online.

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