Yesterday afternoon, D.C. Council voted 10-1-1 to pass a bill decriminalizing marijuana possession in the District. The bill, engineered by Ward 6 councilmember Tommy Wells, aims to alter the enforcement of marijuana laws in the city, which have led to a disproportionate number of arrests for African-American males.
"In D.C., there are more than 5,000 arrests per year for marijuana; 90 percent are African American," Ward told the Washington Post. "One drug charge can change a life forever. Our action . . . does not repeal all negative impacts caused by criminalization of marijuana, but it moves us in the right direction."
As the Post notes, the bill will partially decriminalize marijuana, resulting in civil fines for possession rather than jail time. Though many are celebrating the bill as a victory, it has also further complicated marijuana arrests in D.C., as local and federal jurisdictions overlap. For example, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Park Police told the Post that it's unlikely the agency will align with the city's bill:
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There's sure to be confusion, so here are a few facts about the new measure that will hopefully make everything a little less cloudy. For example, decriminalization absolutely does not mean that marijuana is legal in D.C. now:
Someone could be arrested under federal law, for instance, for possession on the Mall.
According to the Washington City Paper, police will still take both your weed and your vaporizer if they're visible:
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While having or smoking marijuana in the privacy of a home will no longer be a criminal offense, public smoking is still prohibited:
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So what about selling it?
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Furthermore, how the law is enforced could depend largely on who's living in the White House at the time:
Implementing and enforcing the measure promises to be an ongoing challenge. How the law is interpreted by federal agents in the city could depend largely on who is president.
So what's next? The bill will go to Mayor Vince Gray, who's expected to sign it. From there, it will go to Congress for a 60-day review period. The Post adds that Congress has only overturned four city laws in the past 40 years.
Here's the takeaway: Nas' vision of "smoking weed in the streets without cops harassin'" remains a utopian fantasy in the District for the moment, but the penalties won't be as harsh. All eyes will now shift to the initiative for full legalization that will be on the ballot this November.
Overall, this decision deserves more of a respectful clap than a standing ovation, though the recognition of and commitment to addressing a matter that's plagued young black men in D.C. is certainly worthy of some applause.
Written by Julian Kimble (@JRK316)
[via The Washington Post and Washington City Paper]
