FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Fulton County Commissioners are discussing an ordinance that would eliminate imprisonment and impose a fine for people found in possession of marijuana.
According to a statement, the change would be "amending the penalty provision of a loitering or disorderly conduct conviction 'based solely on the possession of less than one ounce of marijuana' to no more than $75.00 and no imprisonment."
This change would only affect the areas of unincorporated Fulton County known as the Fulton Industrial District. This proposed change would not affect cities in Fulton County like Roswell or the City of South Fulton.
► INVESTIGATION | Drivers arrested while stone-cold sober
The meeting is on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. at the assembly hall inside the Fulton County Government Center.
In Atlanta, a similar ordinance took imprisonment off the books for people caught with less than an ounce of the illegal drug. The ordinance also reduced any potential fine to a maximum of $75.
Punishment is now essentially a citation – like a traffic ticket.
Under their previous law, possession of marijuana within the City of Atlanta was punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and imprisonment for a period of up to 6 months.
► RELATED | Read the ordinance
WEED IS NOT LEGAL IN ATLANTA
A vote to decriminalize is not a vote for legalization – marijuana is still very illegal. The decriminalization vote proposed a change to the way people are prosecuted after being found in possession of marijuana within the city limits of Atlanta.
It won't change the way DUI's are prosecuted.
