5@5: Nashville Passes Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

As of last night, it’s official… Nashville is the first city in Tennessee to lessen the penalty of small amounts of marijuana.

The vote was 35 yes, 3 no, and 1 abstain. The new bill states that marijuana that possessed a half an ounce or less is a $50 fine or community service. Currently the crime is a misdemeanor or jail time.

According to FOX 17, Mayor Megan Berry says:

“This legislation is a positive step forward in addressing the overly punitive treatment of marijuana possession in our state that disproportionately impacts low-income and minority residents. It is important to stress that this ordinance is not a license to sell, possess, or use marijuana in Nashville. When this ordinance becomes law, police officers will still have the ability to make arrests or issue state criminal citations for marijuana possession as circumstances warrant, which is a Class A misdemeanor under state law.”

See the entire story from FOX 17 here.