Thousands of people carrying small amounts of marijuana in New York City may no longer be arrested or face criminal charges, officials have said, marking a significant shift in how the nation's biggest city approaches policing pot.
Instead of being arrested on misdemeanour charges that carry potential punishments of up to three months in jail, many people will get court summonses and face non-criminal violations punishable by fines starting at 100 dollars (£63), Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner William Bratton said.
While state law makes it a misdemeanour to have up to 25g of marijuana in "public view", the mayor characterised stopping such arrests as an enforcement choice. He said it would give police time to pursue more serious crime and spare people from the consequences of arrest records for cases that often end up getting dismissed.
It is "a smart policy that keeps New Yorkers safe, but it is also a more fair policy", said Mr de Blasio, a first-term Democrat who has faced pressure to keep campaign promises to reduce the more than 20,000 such arrests per year.
The announcement comes a week after voters in Washington DC, Oregon and Alaska approved measures legalising marijuana, joining Colorado and Washington states. Mr de Blasio and Mr Bratton oppose legalising the drug.
Source: Irish Independent, 11/11/14
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