The approval process to end the criminalization of simple possession of marijuana in New Orleans will begin in the city council’s Criminal Justice Committee today.
New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno says if it were up to her, there would be full legalization.
"If I could legalize, on the local level, recreational marijuana, I would do that, but every legal expert, lawyer, including our own lawyers, told me that can't be done," said Moreno. "We have to wait for the state."
But while the state has eliminated jail as penalty for simple marijuana possession, Moreno would like to go even further.
"But I still think there's a lot of work to be done on decriminalization, even taking the fine all the way down to a dollar," she said. Moreno said even a modest fine can be a burden to some people.
"So let's say you can't pay the $40 fine," said Moreno. "Well, now you've got an attachment."
Moreno says the NOPD loses too many man-hours to writing summonses when they could be answering calls for service in more serious cases.
The New Orleans City Council Criminal Justice Committee will begin at 2 p.m. at New Orleans City Hall.
