Stonecrest City Council approves marijuana ordinance, reduces penalties for possession of an ounce or less

STONECREST, GA– The Stonecrest City Council approved an ordinance to reduce the penalty for possession of one ounce of marijuana or less to a maximum fine of $100.

The council approved ordinance 2022-07-01 at its Aug. 22 meeting and the ordinance became effective immediately, officials said. Possessions of any quantity of marijuana is still illegal under State law and penalties may include jail time.

“The City of Stonecrest remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors,” said Mayor Jazzmin Cobble. “This ordinance does not legalize the possession of marijuana in Stonecrest. It eliminates jail time as the only option of penalty and reduces the fines for individuals found guilty of possessing one ounce or less of marijuana.”

The city will partner with local law enforcement agencies to train officers on the ordinance and review a list of options available to them when an offense occurs within the City of Stonecrest.

City officials said the ordinance is designed to minimize administrative costs by reducing the amount of time police officers spend in connection with the arrest, processing, and transportation of an individual accused of simple marijuana possession.

“In order to maintain public safety in Stonecrest, we must prioritize the best use of police resources and continue to build partnerships with residents within the community,” said Mayor Cobble. “Under this new ordinance, the penalty provisions will reduce the number of people who enter into the criminal justice system on low-level offenses and allow our officers to focus on more severe violations.”