Louisiana police officers can no longer arrest people for minor weed possession

Picture over

On August 1, Louisiana became the 32nd state to decriminalize or legalize minor cannabis possession.

Pelican State’s new decriminalization law reduces the penalty for possession of up to 14 grams of weed to a simple $ 100 fine with no jail sentence. And unlike other states that impose additional penalties on repeat offenders, the new law applies regardless of how often a person is arrested. Under the previous law, anyone caught with a small amount of weed could be fined up to $ 300 and jailed for up to 15 days.

“It was not an easy decision for me to make,” said Governor John Bel Edwards when he signed the law in June of this year. “In addition to carefully reviewing the bill, I firmly believe that the state of Louisiana should no longer lock people up for minor violations of the law, especially those that are legal in many states that can ruin lives, destroy families, and cost taxpayers.” . “

Although Louisians can no longer be locked behind bars for a single joint, anyone caught selling weed or holding over 14 grams can still face extreme fines and jail terms. To clarify the new rules, State Representative Cedric Glover (D) has teamed up with advocacy group Louisiana Progress to create an awareness program to educate the public about the new law.

“The decriminalization of marijuana will really change the lives of people in our state,” said Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director of Louisiana Progress, in a statement. “It is an important first step in modernizing marijuana policy in Louisiana and another milestone in the ongoing effort to address our incarceration crisis that has trapped so many people in a cycle of poverty and prison. Now is the time to make sure everyone knows their rights under this new law and that law enforcement agencies know how to properly enforce it. “

The group has created an FAQ page that explains the intricacies of the new law. The document warns that police officers can still arrest someone for distribution if they discover weed that is individually packaged for resale – even if the total amount of the grass is less than 14 grams. To avoid arrest, Louisians should make sure that all of their weed is in one container for personal use and not split into multiple bags.

“When I saw two councilors in my hometown of Shreveport – one Conservative and one progressive – come together to decriminalize the possession of marijuana for personal use, I knew it was time for that state reform bring, ”Glover said in a press release. “The criminalization of marijuana possession is harmful in many ways to the people of Louisiana, but particularly harmful to black and brown communities, low-income people, and the young. I sincerely hope that this new law will finally bring some relief and a sense of freedom to these communities. “

Full legalization of adult use doesn’t seem in sight in the near future, but strong bipartisan support suggests that the pelican state will eventually end the ban. Earlier this year, a Republican legislature passed an adult legalization bill that was rejected by the state house.

In May, Governor Edwards said he believes Louisiana will “finally” legalize weed, but added that he “would be surprised if there is a consensus in the legislature to do so while I am governor,” Marijuana Moment reported . In addition to the Decriminalization Act, Edwards also signed a bill that allows medical marijuana patients to legally smoke whole plant flowers.