The rally hosted by Georgia C.A.R.E. Project and the Athens C.A.R.E. affiliate drew 25 protesters to send a message that Athens-Clarke County can decriminalize less than one ounce of cannabis by using citations rather than arresting “offenders”. Georgia C.A.R.E. Project director James Bell spoke later that night before the mayor and commission meeting.
Our affiliate, Athens C.A.R.E. Project continues to push for some form of marijuana decriminalization in Athens-Clarke County GA. Headed by UGA student Josh Wayne, Athens C.A.R.E. has been attending commission meetings seeking reform. Here is the latest news on their efforts.
True to their word, a group of young advocates for local liberalization of marijuana possession laws rolled into City Hall for Tuesday’s meeting of the Athens-Clarke County Commission, once again arguing for a “parallel ordinance” allowing police officers the discretion to determine whether someone found in possession of marijuana should simply be cited and fined, or arrested and taken to jail.
“We’re not going to give up,” one of the young people told commissioners Tuesday. Since March, the group, affiliated with the Athens Campaign for Access, Reform and Education — part of Georgia C.A.R.E., a group working to “end marijuana prohibition in Georgia” — has been a regular presence at the commission’s monthly voting meeting.
With little fanfare Democrat voters in Whitfield County Georgia say yes to legal marijuana. The straw poll was on the May 2014 primary ballot. It backs up a poll conducted in January by NORML that shows 62% of likely voters support decriminalization of cannabis
WHITFIELD COUNTY, GA (WRCB) – Voters in Whitfield County say yes to legalization. It was a question in a democratic straw poll. Voters were asked, should Georgia legalize the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older? On their ballot it’s a non-binding question and 64-percent of voters think it should be legal.
Georgia democrats included the legalization question on the ballot to get people out to vote. Straw polls also serve to gauge voters opinion.
Under current Georgia law, less than an ounce of cannabis can get you up to one year in prison, anything more than that and you could spend up to 10 years behind bars.