Under the recent legislation, individuals found with up to one ounce of marijuana would, at most, face a $75 fine or be eligible for an equivalent value of community service, with no chance of imprisonment.
The East Point City Council unanimously approved the law last week, mirroring a marijuana ordinance adopted in Atlanta and various other cities across Georgia.
East Point now stands alongside Camilla as one of the Georgia cities that decriminalized marijuana in 2023.
“Prevent young people from entering the criminal justice system and avoiding the enduring stigma associated therewith” is one of the ordinance’s stated goals.
Reducing “the amount of time police officers spend in connection with the arrest, processing and transportation of those accused of simple marijuana possession” is another goal of the legislation.
Earlier this month, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a letter to numerous Georgia pharmacies intending to sell medical marijuana products, warning them that such actions would violate federal law and could subject them to prosecution.
