Stonecrest passes new marijuana ordinance, reducing fine for possessing one ounce or less

STONECREST, Ga. - A person charged with possessing one ounce or less of marijuana in Stonecrest will now pay a maximum fine of $100.

The Stonecrest City Council approved an ordinance Monday reducing the penalty. 

The ordinance doesn't mean jail time is off the table for people caught in possession of weed. The drug is still illegal under Georgia law unless "legally prescribed," but the Stonecrest ordinance provides an alternative. The city is training officers to take options into account when a possession offense occurs. 

City officials passed the measure to reduce the amount of time officers spend arresting, processing, and transporting "simple" marijuana possession suspects. 

"The City of Stonecrest remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors," said Mayor Jazzmin Cobble. "This ordinance does not legalize the possession of marijuana in Stonecrest. It eliminates jail time as the only option of penalty and reduces the fines for individuals found guilty of possessing one ounce or less of marijuana."

Cobble said the new penalty will reduce the number of people incarcerated for low-level offenses and let officers focus on more severe violations. The Municipal Court of Stonecrest, which is the group proposing decriminalization, argue that enforcement of the laws "has fallen disproportionately on certain subsets of the population."