NEW YORK — New York City plans to stop booking and arraigning many people arrested on low-level marijuana-possession charges.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday that the change will take place next month.

People who get picked up on charges of having a small amount of marijuana will be released with desk appearance tickets if they have ID and no open warrants.

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Bloomberg says "it's the right thing will do." He adds that it will let police use their resources where most needed.

The tens of thousands of low-level marijuana arrests citywide each year have generated controversy.

It's been about 35 years since state lawmakers raised the bar for booking people instead of ticketing them on marijuana-possession charges. But those arrests have soared in the last 10 years.