AZ Marijuana Arizona Marijuana Info
Santa Fe has became the latest US city to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
The Santa Fe City Council voted five to four in favor of revising a law to classify possession of less than one ounce (28 grams) of marijuana to only a misdemeanor.
The new law, which will take effect in 30 days, reduces the criminal penalties that range from fines of between $50 to $100 and up to 15 days in jail, into a (still undetermined) civil citation penalty.
“I have been in favor of decriminalization all along, I just wanted this to be on the November ballot in order for the citizens to make the decision,” stated Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales.
New Mexico state director for the Drug Policy Alliance, Emily Kaltenbach, mentioned she hoped for a broader vote, but said: “It is still a historic win for us all.”
Kaltenbach said activists obtained some 11,000 signatures and that her polling revealed that more than 70 percent of Santa Fe residents supported decriminalization.
