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NOT ONLY FOR YOUR POCKETBOOK, BUT ON YOUR RESUME. IN 30 DAYS, YOU CAN WALK AROUND CINCINNA WITH THREE OUNCES OF MARIJUANA WITHOUT PENALTY. AMIR NELSON IS GLAD TO HEAR IT >> CAUSE BEFORE THAT THERE WAS ONLY A COUPLE GRAMS AND YOU GET LOCKED UP FOR IT. JOHN LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN DEFINING AND REDEFINING A LITTLE BIT FOR A COUPLE MONTHS NO >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS A HUNDRED GRAMS IS 300+ JOINTS. THAT TROUBLES ME. >> THIS IS CRITICAL LEGISLATIO IN ORDER TO FREE BLACK MEN LIKE ME WHO ARE FACING TH OVER-CRIMINALIZATION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA JOHN THIS WAS GOVERNMENT BY THE OUNCE. WENDELL YOUNG MADE A GAME TIME DECISION. >> WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE OR WE’LL NEVER DO ANYTHING. JOHN: SO DID TAMAYA DENNARD, WHO VOTED NO BECAUSE SHE WANTS EXPUNGEMENT FIRST. >> MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WHOSE LIVES ARE DESTROYED AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT IN ADDITION TO MOVING FORWARD. WE CAN’T DO ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. JOHN BY A 5-3 VOTE, COUNCIL APPROVE POSSESSION OF THREE OUNCES, NO AGE RESTRICTION AND NO SMOKING WEED IN A PUBLIC PLACE. CHIEF ELIOT ISAAC ISN’T THRILLED ABOUT IT, BUT SAYS HE’LL INSTRUCT HIS OFFICERS TO ENFORCE THE NEW CITY LAW AS OPPOSED TO STATE LAW. BE FOREWARNED, A DEPUTY OR A TROOPER COULD STILL CITE YOU FOR POT POSSESSION WITHIN CITY LIMITS. >> KIND OF SICK AND TIRED OF BEING PUNISHED FOR USING WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CONSIDER TO BE A HARMLESS DRUG. JOHN: CINCINNATI NOW JOINS SEVERAL OTHER CITIES AND STATES MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF BEING PERMISSIVE TOWARDS POT. EXPUNGING THE RECORDS OF THOUSANDS WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR LOW-LEVEL POSSESSION IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT MIGHT SEEM CITY LAWYERS INDICATED TOD THAT’S AN OPEN-ENDED WORK-IN-PROGRESS. LIVE AT CITY HALL, JOHN LONDON, WLWT N

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There is a dramatic change taking effect in the city of Cincinnati when it comes to possession of pot.The City Council decided Wednesday to decriminalize up to 3 ounces of marijuana.The vote came after many weeks of what was, at times, intense debate.There continued to be honest differences about the amount, about what's age-appropriate and about the potential effect on criminal prosecutions.There was a lot to inhale about the more permissive pot law that will take effect in 30 days.At that time, you would be able to legally possess up to 3 ounces.You could still be cited for possession, but you would not be fined and you would have no criminal record as a result.So there would be no reference to it required on any job application.That was the Vice Mayor Chris Smitherman's driving impetus.Four of his colleagues -- Jeff Pastor, Greg Landsman, Chris Seelbach and Wendell Young -- joined him to get it done."I would say that since we've been debating this each week a hundred African American men have been impacted by this law," Smitherman said forcefully. "We've got to stop it. We've got to stop it now."Councilman David Mann remained troubled about it.While he cheered the restriction on actually smoking grass in public, he lamented the lack of an age limit to have it with you."This says it's OK if you're 12 years old in Cincinnati to possess a hundred grams of marijuana," Mann stated incredulously. "Why on Earth are we doing that? It doesn't make any sense to me."Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard joined Mann and Councilwoman Amy Murray in opposing the change, but not for the same reason.She argued that first the lives ruined by low-level possession needed to be taken care of."We can't worry about expungement after the fact," Dennard said. "The effort to decriminalize should have gone hand in hand with the effort to expunge."Others who also want to see expungement said it's a complicated matter that city lawyers are working on.On the street, folks we spoke with believe it's only a matter of time before marijuana is legalized nationwide.Amir Nelson, of North Avondale, believes it's not right when possession of a few grams gets you in criminal trouble.Quintin Shelley, who lives downtown, echoed that sentiment."I know people who like I say who have been locked up wrongfully just for having a little bit on them," said Shelley.Lawmakers have been defining and redefining a little bit for a couple of months now."My understanding is a hundred grams is 300-plus joints," said Mann before the vote. "That troubles me."But Smitherman's argument about the general over-criminalization of small amounts of marijuana won the day, a day that could be thought of as government by the ounce.For Cincinnati, the 3-ounce law is a starting point that turned on the day of decision by Young."My personal objection, I can't stand the smell of this stuff," he said as laughter ensued."Beyond that, I really don't have an opinion. I don't judge people that smoke marijuana."Police Chief Eliot Isaac isn't thrilled about the change, but said earlier he would instruct his officers to enforce the new city law as opposed to state law.Be forewarned, a deputy or a trooper could still cite you for pot possession within city limits.Adam Pitchel, of Oakley, told us he was "people are sick and tired of being punished for using what a lot of people consider to be a harmless drug."Cincinnati now joins several other cities and states moving in the direction of being permissive toward pot.Mann asked that his proposal to reduce the allowable amount to one ounce be held for a week to try to attract more support for it. But, in talking with lawmakers, it would seem that idea won't come anywhere close to garnering five votes for passage.