Marijuana Possession Has Been Decriminalized in Miami Beach

Lawmakers in Miami Beach have passed a new law that allows police to give a $100 citation to persons possessing under 20 grams of marijuana, instead of arresting and sending them to jail.

The Miami Beach Mayor mentioned: “We don’t want marijuana smoking on the streets. That’s still illegal. It’s illegal to distribute or sell any marijuana or anything like that. But if someone’s caught with under 20 grams, we don’t want to ruin their lives.”

Florida law states that possession of 20 grams or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor and punishable by up to one year in prison with fines up to $1,000.

The Miami Beach Police Department believes the new law will save the city roughly $40,000 in associated costs from arrests and prosecutions for simple marijuana possession cases.