Too many questions remain unanswered for marijuana decriminalization to be seriously considered in individual Tennessee cities, but Nashville and Memphis have pushed ahead with decisions on the issue.
The Nashville Metropolitan Council was to have taken a final vote on its ordinance Tuesday, while the Memphis City Council is set to make its decision Oct. 4.
The unanswered questions aside, the issue is worth considering, but the two cities put the cart before the horse.
With decriminalization, police who catch people with a half-ounce of marijuana or less have the discretion of giving them a civil citation for a $50 fine or community service. Currently, Tennessee law calls for people who have a half-ounce or less of pot to face a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Let’s stop first at “police… have the discretion.”