![\"pennsylvania](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Penn.jpg\")
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Members of the Reading (population: 95,000) city council have approved<\/a> a municipal ordinance decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession offenses.<\/p>\n The ordinance, which passed by a 5-2 vote on Monday, imposes civil fines rather than criminal penalties for violations involving either the possession or use of up to 30 grams of marijuana. Under\u00a0state law<\/a>, marijuana possession is classified as a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by jail time.<\/p>\n Regional NORML coordinator Chris Goldstein spoke<\/a> before the council in favor of the ordinance, opining that its adoption will save city resources and prevent thousands of low-level arrests. \u201cDecriminalization is well proven, not just in Pennsylvania, but around the country,\u201d he said. \u201cOne small arrest can have a huge impact [on people\u2019s lives.]\u201d<\/p>\n Numerous\u00a0other Pennsylvania cities<\/a>, including Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, have enacted similar ordinances.<\/p>\n Since 2018,\u00a0nearly 90,000 Pennsylvanians<\/a>\u00a0have been arrested for violating state marijuana laws. Over 85 percent of those arrests were for marijuana possession.<\/p>\n Additional information on municipal decriminalization ordinances\u00a0is available<\/a>\u00a0from NORML.<\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n