On Tuesday, lawmakers in St. Louis, Missouri unanimously approved a bill that will decriminalize the adult possession and cultivation of cannabis.
The legislative body of the independent city of St. Louis, known as the Board of Aldermen, voted 23-0 on the final passage of the cannabis measure. It wouldn’t actually change the laws that currently have cannabis criminalized, though. The proposal would repeal low-tier possession and cultivation in violation of local ordinances.
In a quick summary, the proposal would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of cannabis without the worry of prosecution under the current laws in place at the state level. However, the nuances on how the laws will work in tandem are very subtle.
Image via @staldermen on Instagram
What Will the Proposed Bill Provide for St. Louis?
Alderman Bret Narayan’s (D) proposed bill would specifically prohibit the use of city resources to enforce laws against low-level cannabis possession. This also includes possession of drug paraphernalia. Additionally, this will include any adult cultivating no more than six flowering cannabis plants.
The bill also proposes city employees could use cannabis for medical purposes with proper state-issued ID cards. This allows people with physical ailments like chronic pain to continue working while being able to relieve their symptoms.
“This bill basically just harmonizes our local ordinance with the state’s constitution, as well as further decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana,” Narayan stated prior to the unanimous vote on Tuesday. “It has the buy-in from the public safety director, it has the buy-in from the director of personnel. We’ve talked to basically every stakeholder along the way.”
Mayor Tishaura Jones (D) is an open supporter of the bill and stated in a video after the board voted that, “…outdated marijuana laws that are unfair, unnecessary and discriminatory.” Mayor Jones feels that it will facilitate in lowering racial disparities as well as allowing officers to reallocate efforts on more violent offenses and crimes. She may be referring to the part of the proposal that prevents police from conducting a search or an arrest on a person(s) based on smell or the sight of cannabis smoke.
The Future of Cannabis in St. Louis and Missouri
According to a statement in the proposal, it is necessary to avoid unnecessary searches and seizures of citizens who may be operating within the legal framework of the state. Their concern is that there are people in the state of Missouri who are now allowed to possess and cultivate cannabis “under certain circumstances” based on the approval of the 2018 medical cannabis ballot measure.
There are hopes to push full cannabis legalization in Missouri in 2022 after last year’s efforts got derailed by COVID-19. The 2022 proposal will allocate tax revenue from cannabis sales, and would prioritize automatic expungements for people with prior cannabis-related convictions. Then it would trickle down to veterans’ health care programs, substance abuse treatment, and the state’s public defender system.
The reform will provide more than just legal adult-use cannabis for people in the state. The proposed bill will create much needed social equity and will actually use the taxes to facilitate that. This truly is the future of the cannabis legalization movement in the United States.
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