Today, DC City Council Member Tommy Wells introduced legislation that would decriminalize personal possession amounts of marijuana in Washington, DC.

Under the proposed measure, the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana would become a civil infraction, similar to a parking ticket, with a fine of no more than $100. Recent survey data released by Public Policy Polling in April 2013 revealed that 75% of DC residents favored this reform.

“This reform cannot come soon enough,” stated NORML Communications Director Erik Altieri, “The District of Columbia has the highest arrest rate per capita for marijuana charges of any city in the country and those arrests are disproportionately impacting people of color, who are about 8 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana charges than their white counterparts, despite similar use rates.”

NORML will keep you updated as this legislation moves forward.

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