Pubdate: Mon, 08 May 2017
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2017 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact:  http://www.ajc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: Bill Torpy

COLUMN: ATLANTA'S POT LAWS DISCRIMINATE

The Atlanta City Council is considering making the penalty for getting
caught with pot similar to finding a parking ticket flapping on your
windshield.

The effort is based on the idea that black residents are
overwhelmingly the target of marijuana enforcement in the city,
staining them with jail time, fines and arrest records that follow
them in life.

The effort was put forward by Councilman Kwanza Hall, a mayoral
candidate who has tried to carve out his place in the crowded mayor's
race by pushing to do away with some quality-of-life offenses such as
spitting, jay walking, idling and loitering - things one often does
while smoking weed.
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MAP posted-by: Matt