Orlando marijuana ordinance passes first reading

ORLANDO, Fla. — A marijuana ordinance passed its first reading Monday in a 4 to 3 vote.

Leaders will return for a second vote on May 9.

It was a packed house at Orlando City Hall on Monday as leaders discussed the ordinance that will decriminalize small amounts of marijuana.

Some residents spoke out with major concerns about how marijuana offenses will be handled in Orlando in the future.

“We feel it’s a gateway drug. We feel it leads to young people trying other things,” said opponent Jim Millar.

Others were worried about how the proposed rules would be enforced.

“It is a false sense of protection, especially for people of color in Districts 5 and 6,” said opponent Cynthia Harris.

The change would give most offenders caught with fewer than 20 grams of marijuana a fine, instead of jail time.

“I believe the spirit of the ordinance is for the young person with little to no criminal history,” said Orlando police Chief John Mina.

In making misdemeanor marijuana possession a code violation, fines would start at $50 for first-time offenders, but only within the city limits of Orlando.

“Given what I have seen, I’m in support of it,” said Orange County Sheriff’s Jerry Demings.

Demings crosses jurisdictional lines to show his support of the change.

He said he’s encouraged Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to look into similar changes for the county as a whole.

“In terms of smart justice, I think we all have the responsibility to ensure that our government responds appropriately to public policy situations,” said Demings.