One popular perception of marijuana legalization is that it is a partisan topic that divides red and blue like oil and water. More states consider and push legalization year by year. With clearer information on the pros and cons, politicians and lawmakers of all walks find themselves looking at the aspects of marijuana legalization.
According to Marijuana Moment, at least 10 states have proposed legislation for marijuana legalization — spearheaded by GOP politicians.
Reconsidering the nonviolent crimes
Incentives for these bills involve the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana to reroute valuable funding and manpower of the state to other important tasks. This may help law enforcement focus on violent crimes and avoid wasting resources curbing personal liberties.
Legislating the bill in Georgia
These 10 states all have their own method of going about this, but Georgia is at square one. House Resolution 281 is a two-page bill designed to put the question of marijuana legalization to the public.
It is unclear what the system would look like if the state legalizes marijuana. But the amendment would start the process of creating a system while establishing a process to expunge past arrests for certain cases.
Keeping current marijuana laws in Georgia in mind
For now, those defending themselves against marijuana charges have a lot to fight against. Possession of a single ounce may result in jail times of up to one year or fines up to $1,000. Possession of more comes with potential mandatory minimum prison sentences and up to $10,000 in fines. None of this touches on the loss of reputation and opportunity someone loses when facing these charges.
Understanding the current laws and the ways they might change may help someone know what to expect regarding the ever-changing landscape of this legal topic.
