Marijuana Possession Won't Send You to Jail Anymore in D.C.

The Washington, D.C., City Council -- living as it does in the belly of the same federal-government beast that keeps a stranglehold on cannabis criminalization -- voted Tuesday to significantly ease marijuana laws in the district.

By a near unanimous vote, the council ruled that possession and private consumption of the drug in small amounts would be decriminalized, according to the Washington Post. Mayor Vincent Gray is expected to sign the bill into law. The District of Columbia will join 17 states that have decriminalization laws on the books, and will become one of the most lenient cities in the country with regard to weed.

Previously, public consumption and possession of an ounce or less of marijuana were both criminal offenses that carried hefty fines of $1,000 or six-month prison sentences. Advocates stated that these penalties fell disproportionately on African-Americans in the capital. A 2013 study by the Washington Lawyers' Committee stated that "nine out of 10" arrests for possession involved African-American residents.

When the bill goes into effect this summer, possession will be a civil offense with a light fine of $25. Public consumption is still considered a misdemeanor, though, with a maximum fine of $500 or 60 days in jail.