While many other states have made marijuana legal for medical or recreational use, it is still against the law in Florida. However, some lawmakers seem to be taking steps towards changing this. These steps are small, and they involve decriminalizing possession of marijuana. Two state representatives have created a bill that would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil violation.
By making possession a civil violation, people would only face a $100 fine if they were found to have pot on their person. Alternatively, people could request serving 15 hours of community service in lieu of the fine. This law would only decriminalize small amounts of pot, and possessing more than an ounce would still be a crime. Several counties in the state have already passed laws similar to the one being proposed.
According to the bill, the punishment for possession of small amounts of cannabis are out of proportion with the level of the crime. Although many people may be glad to hear the bill has been proposed, it’s not likely to pass any time soon. The bill still hasn’t reached the state senate, and even assuming the state house approves it, it will take more than a year to become law.
Although Florida seems to be moving towards making pot legal, there are still a number of drug crimes associated with its production and use. If someone is charged with a drug crime for any type of illegal substance, conviction may result in fines and jail time. Therefore, it’s essential that people have a solid defense against their charges, and a lawyer could help in this regard.
