CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland City Council will consider legislation that would eliminate all punishment and court costs for people convicted of some minor crimes involving marijuana.

The legislation, sponsored by Councilman Blaine Griffin, would apply to ordinances that forbid possessing or cultivating marijuana or giving it to another person.

People convicted of those offenses would not be subject to fines, jail time and mandatory treatment programs.

The proposal would not affect more serious crimes such as trafficking in marijuana and would preserve penalties for people who commit minor marijuana offenses near a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile.

Griffin told cleveland.com on Thursday that the ordinance is necessary as part of a bigger effort to end over incarceration for minor offenses that can hinder a person’s ability to find work and earn a living.

Those penalties tend to disproportionately affect people of color, he said. Some courts already are considering sentencing changes for minor crimes to reduce incarceration numbers.

“When people get those marijuana cases for small amounts like that, it can follow them around,” Griffin said. “Quite frankly, we know there have been inequities in the system.”

Griffin’s ordinance proposes to:

Eliminate fines and penalties for possession of 200 grams (about 7 ounces) or less of marijuana, now a fourth-degree misdemeanor. Fourth-degree misdemeanors in Cleveland now carry a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $250.

Eliminate fines and penalties for a minor misdemeanor charge of giving 20 grams (seven tenths of an ounce) or less of marijuana to another person. Minor misdemeanors in Cleveland now carry a fine of up to $150, but no jail time.

Change charges related to growing marijuana from second-degree misdemeanors to minor misdemeanors and eliminate fines and penalties. Cleveland’s criminal code allows up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $750 for a second-degree misdemeanor.

“We’re really moving toward decriminalization,” Griffin said.

The ordinance cites several cities that have taken similar actions, including Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo. This week, Columbus City Council also voted to lower marijuana penalties.

Griffin’s ordinance next will be vetted by the council’s Safety and Finance committees before moving to the floor for a vote.

Griffin wouldn’t put any timetable on those hearings. City Council is on summer recess, with only one meeting scheduled before Labor Day.

Want more? Get insider texts about Cleveland City Hall on your phone from Robert Higgs Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with cleveland.com’s City Hall reporter, just like you would with your friends. Sign up here and give it a try. It’s just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day.