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Tennessee City Council Urges Governor Lee to Decriminalize Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana

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Recently, the city council of Nashville, Tennessee voted to urge Governor Bill Lee to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. This resolution is part of a larger effort to reduce the criminalization of marijuana in the state, and to reduce the burden on the criminal justice system.

The resolution passed by the city council calls for Governor Lee to support legislation that would reduce the penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Currently, possession of any amount of marijuana is a criminal offense in Tennessee, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. The resolution seeks to reduce the penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana to a civil penalty, such as a fine or community service.

The resolution is supported by a number of organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Drug Policy Alliance, and the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. These organizations argue that criminalizing marijuana possession is an ineffective and costly approach to addressing drug use. They point out that criminalization disproportionately affects people of color, who are more likely to be arrested and charged with marijuana possession than white people.

In addition to reducing the criminalization of marijuana possession, supporters of the resolution argue that decriminalization would also provide economic benefits. They point out that decriminalization would allow law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes, and would free up resources that could be used for other public safety initiatives. Furthermore, they argue that decriminalization would create an opportunity for the state to generate revenue through taxation of marijuana sales.

It remains to be seen whether Governor Lee will support the resolution passed by the Nashville City Council. However, it is clear that there is growing support for reducing the criminalization of marijuana in Tennessee. Decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana would be an important step in reducing the burden on the criminal justice system, and could provide economic benefits for the state.

Source: Plato Data Intelligence: PlatoAiStream

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