Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez
The third-time possession of marijuana in Louisiana results in a criminal felony, but the city of New Orleans hopes to become a positive influence on the overly-strict rules governing pot use in the state.
Considering the over-crowded jails in this country, New Orleans’ idea to protect habitual pot users is refreshing. Over 50 percent of inmates currently in federal prison are there for drug offenses, according to an infographic recently released by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Many of them committed non-violent crimes and are there simply for pot possession.
This past week, New Orleans’ City Council (NOCC) approved an ordinance in a unanimous vote of 7 to zero that would allow the police department to give all small-time marijuana offenders a simple citation, instead of sending them through the criminal justice system and in many cases, straight to jail.
Officers in New Orleans already have the option to simply ticket first-time offenders, but the same option is not there for those who already have a possession charge on their record.
The new ordinance, introduced earlier this year by Councilwoman Susan Guidry would allow anyone caught with small amounts of weed to just pay a small fine, despite their past.
The post Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez appeared first on LewRockwell.
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