Philadelphia decriminalises marijuana possession

The city is decriminalising marijuana possession and public consumption, ending a drug policy that has disproportionately targeted African Americans and Latinos in Philadelphia for decades.

After a long summer of negotiations between Mayor Michael Nutter and supporters of Councilman James Kenney's decriminalisation bill, the mayor agreed to sign the legalisation measure, which will take effect October 20. Support from Philly cops, African American community organisations, and black media outlets helped forge the decriminalisation law that passed 13-3 through the city council — a margin that would have overridden a potential mayoral veto.

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