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Philly420: Pittsburgh considers decriminalizing marijuana

The Pittsburgh City Council is set to consider a marijuana decriminalization bill. The proposed ordinance, scheduled to be introduced today, will closely follow protocols that have been in place in Philadelphia for more than a year.

The Pittsburgh City Council is set to consider a marijuana decriminalization bill. The proposed ordinance, scheduled to be introduced today, will closely follow protocols that have been in place in Philadelphia for more than a year.

Councilman Daniel Lavelle, chairman of the city's Public Safety Committee, crafted the bill after working with the local NORML chapter.

The measure has already gained the support of local police and prosecutors. That indicates that the new approach likely will be implemented if passed.

In 2014 there were 884 adults and 69 juveniles arrested for marijuana possession by Pittsburgh city police. Of  those arrests, 697 were of black residents.

Black residents comprise 26 percent of Pittsburgh's population but account for 74 percent percent of the arrests for marijuana possession.

Current procedure has most marijuana offenders plea to a disorderly person's offense after reaching the court phase of a criminal proceeding.

"They still have to be fingerprinted, they will still have their offense recorded in national database. They will still have a rap sheet," said Councilman Lavelle.

Lavelle said that creating a civil citation structure that eliminates a permanent criminal record makes sense for his city.

Patrick Nightingale, a former Assistant District Attorney for Allegheny County and now executive director of PittsburghNORML, said that there is broad support on city council and among law enforcement to make the shift.

"The primary reason Pittsburgh is introducing a decrim ordinance is because our fellow activists in Philadelphia showed us that it could be done," said Nightingale.

"We are hopeful that these efforts in the Commonwealth's two largest cities will lead to a groundswell of similar efforts throughout Pennsylvania," said Nightingale, "We can send a loud and clear message to Harrisburg."

Philadelphia's decriminalization procedure has resulted in a more than 75 percent reduction in arrests.

The decrim measure Pittsburgh would create a $100 civil fine for possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana and less than 8 grams of hashish. It also makes such offenses a low priority for law enforcement.

"This bill helps to decrease the many lives destroyed by the unnecessarily harsh consequences that come with the most minor marijuana offenses," Lavelle said in a statement.

Chris Goldstein is associate editor of Freedom Leaf magazine and on the board of PhillyNorml. Contact him at chris@freedomisgreen.com.