The Chicago City Council has voted 43–2 to “decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.” The city will now “issue a ticket for possession of 15 grams of marijuana or less,” but arrests “would still be mandated for anyone caught smoking pot in public or possessing marijuana in or near a school or in or near a park.” Chicago joins a number of states and cities who are considering similar decriminalization legislation. 15 states and a number of cities have reduced the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana, including: Seattle, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, as well as university towns like Champaign, Illinois, and Madison, Wisconsin.
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