Nashville Decriminalizes Small Amounts of Cannabis
Tuesday night, Nashville became the first city in Tennessee to lower the penalty for possession of small amounts of cannabis. The Nashville Metropolitan Council voted 35-3 affirmatively to approve a bill which drops the penalty for possession for under a half an ounce to a $50 fine and 10 hours of community service- a slap on the wrist.
Only Council members Steve Glover, Sheri Weiner and Doug Pardue voted against the ordinance. Glover was concerned over sending “mixed messages.”
Before Tuesday, those caught with small amounts of cannabis face in Nashville faced a misdemeanor charge, up to a $2,500 fine, and a year in prison. The ordinance gives police the option to move the charges from criminal to civil court. “It is a civil penalty. It doesn’t take away anything that they have right now, but it also gives the opportunity for people who make mistakes to go through life without the criminal record hanging over their head,” said councilman Russ Pulley.
In addition, Police that catch a user with over a half an ounce may use their discretion on a case-by-case basis. The ordinance potentially places minor cannabis possession in the same category as littering and seat belt violations.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) welcomed the change, which couldn’t come any sooner. “For far too long, thousands of Nashvillians —including a disproportionate number of black residents — have been arrested for possession of tiny amounts of marijuana. These arrests have led to disastrous consequences for their lives, including the loss of job, education and housing opportunities,” a representative of ACLU-TN said. “This ordinance could significantly reduce the costly incarceration rate for this low-level violation, freeing law enforcement to focus on addressing violent crime and keeping our community safer.”
Nashville joins the long list of other cities in America that have already decriminalized minor cannabis possession. “As much as as I’d like to think we’re cutting edge on this one, we’re not,” Councilman Dave Rosenberg admitted. “We’re catching up.”
