St. Pete ponders civil citations for marijuana possession

Author: the associated press
Published:
MGN

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – A St. Petersburg City Council committee asked the county to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, but also authorized city attorneys to draft a municipal ordinance in case the county doesn’t act.

The Tampa Bay Times reports (http://bit.ly/1TDKvYx) council member Steve Kornell, a school guidance counselor, proposed the city ordinance Thursday.

His proposal would allow police to give a ticket with a fine to someone possessing 20 grams or less of marijuana –about 3/4 of an ounce.

St. Petersburg Police Department attorney Sasha Lohn-McDermott recommended that any civil citation program be a countywide ordinance with “teeth” that allows police to collect data on offenders and sets deadlines for fines to be paid.

Miami-Dade, Miami Beach, Fernandina Beach and Hallandale Beach have implemented civil citation programs this year.

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