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Story by Andrew Wigdor / Assistant News Editor and Brinley Hineman / Co-News Editor
Nashville became the first city in Tennessee to lessen the penalty for small amounts of marijuana Tuesday night. This is a big step forward for the legalization of the drug, which is already legal in Canada, where you can buy sour diesel at dispensaries all over the country. In fact, the marijuana industry has boomed across the United States too. Even technological developments have contributed to an increase in variety across dispensaries. Things like vapes have been developed, specifically designed for use with marijuana. They are now a common sight amongst most dispensary supplies as well as other stores and online shops like Grasscity who offer a range of other smoking accessories and free delivery worldwide. Another popular type of marijuana-related product that remains popular online is known as shatter canada that offers an alternative experience to products like vapes and edibles.
The Metro Council approved a bill that allows officers to fine someone $50 with community service if they are in possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana.
If the new ordinance is used by police, the owner of the marijuana does not have to face any criminal charges. Instead, the citizens caught with small amounts of marijuana receive a civil citation, similar to littering or code violations in place today. Previously, individuals charged with marijuana possession faced a misdemeanor with up to a year of jail time and a $2,500 fine.
The bill passed with a vote of 35-3 and is on it’s way to Mayor Megan Barry for approval.
Barry stated in a press release Tuesday evening, “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.”
The lead sponsor of BL2016-378, Councilman Dave Rosenberg, took a similar stance when addressing the concerns aimed towards the bill.
He stated, “My hope is that people will use this bill as a tool to help citizens who would otherwise not have a criminal record, to continue with their lives without the burden of that offense.”
In addition to Rosenberg, Councilman Russ Pulley explained that his full support was behind the bill and that he spoke on the floor of the council during the final reading.
“This bill leads us down a path of discussing the eventual legalization of marijuana in Tennessee,” Pulley stated.
Some have questioned the legality of the bill due to its connection to marijuana decriminalization and current state law.
Pulley clarified the bill’s validity, stating, “There has been some discussion from state legislators about if this bill violates state law. That is nothing more than false comments by grandstanding politicians who are pandering to their constituents.”
For more information about the bill, visit www.nashville.gov or contact Dave Rosenberg on daveforbellevue.com.
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To contact News Editor Amanda Freuler, email [email protected]
I feel like this is a good step in the right direction. Legalizing marijuana can become a very beneficial thing for the government. If they were to make marijuana legal, they would be able to tax it, just like with cigarettes, and make quite a bit of money off that. It has shown to be beneficial in already legalized states, such as Washington.
It would also help the people who are currently using marijuana. There is quite a bit of people who are using marijuana throughout Tennessee toady, even though it is illegal. If caught, they can become criminals for possession, distribution, or a combination of the two. This can have a very negative impact on the rest of their lives. Especially for the younger generations, such as college students. This bill is pushing towards the right direction by just making small possession a misdemeanor.
A main concern of marijuana becoming legalized is that it can hurt the developing minds of the younger generation. I agree it can, but just as much as getting addicted to cigarettes or becoming an alcoholic can do. Those two are legal for eighteen or twenty-one-year-old people. Not as many people are so against cigarettes or alcohol, so why marijuana?
This article is very informative. I did not know that this piece of legislation is being pushed, but I agree with it. While the use of drugs is bad and, in my opinion, should be frowned upon it is safe to question if it is fair to charge someone with a misdemeanor and $2,500 fine. The fact that Nashville is the first city in Tennessee to actually lessen the penalty for small amounts of Marijuana is huge. I think it is important to take steps towards making crime punishable with the appropriate punishments. Dave Rosenberg made a valid point in stating that he hopes people will use the bill as a tool to help citizens be able to continue their lives. I like that he thought about the citizens in his decision making because when charged with a misdemeanor or any criminal offense it has negative affects over job situations and life in general. To charge someone for a crime who has less than an ounce of weed on them, and are not selling it or anything of that nature I think is harsh. While this bill is supposed to in turn lead to the discussion of legalizing Marijuana in Tennessee, I do not necessarily think weed will ever be legal in the state of Tennessee; at least not anytime soon. It will be interesting to see where this goes, and if the charges will actually be lessened. My hope is that it will because authority figures have more to worry about than individuals with less than an ounce of marijuana in their possession.
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Marijuana legalization is an issue that is incredibly unnecessary, and the fact that it is still so controversial is baffling. Years of studies and research have been put into finding out all the facts about marijuana, yet people are still terrified of it and treat usage of it as if it’s methamphetamine or heroine. The use of alcohol does significantly more damage to your mind and body than marijuana does, and people still believe that alcohol is the lesser of two evils. It’s simply because of the fact that marijuana is a “drug” and people automatically make terrible associations just because of the category of substance. Marijuana doesn’t cause nearly as many car accidents as alcohol does, nor does it induce violent or warped behavior patterns. If marijuana is illegal, technically alcohol probably should be as well.