Kansas City Mayor Backs Bill to Stop Penalizing Marijuana Possession

By Associated Press

(AP) — The mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, is backing an ordinance that would strike possession of marijuana from the municipal code, a move that would eliminate even fines for those who possess marijuana.

Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release that he would introduce the ordinance with all four black members of the City Council. Lucas said eliminating laws that disproportionately affect black people can help “improve police-community relations,” the Kansas City Star reported.

“State and federal law remain clear with marijuana,” Lucas said. “The city doesn’t need to be in that business; instead, we remain focused on how we can help open doors to new opportunities and empower people to make a decent living.”

Missourians voted in 2018 to legalize medical marijuana, but recreational use of the drug remains illegal. In Kansas City, voters in 2017 decided to reduce the penalties for possession to a $25 fine.
Although black and white people have comparable rates of usage, black people are 3.6 times more likely than whites to be arrested for possession of marijuana, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The news release described the move as one of many taken by Lucas and the City Council to create a “more equitable community.” Earlier this year, the mayor’s office launched a pardon program for past nonviolent, minor municipal marijuana offenses.

AP Photo Sue Ogrocki