Philadelphia City Council Votes to Decriminalize Pot Possession

The Philadelphia City Council on Thursday passed a measure decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, following a wave of U.S. states and cities lowering penalties on the drug, reports Reuters .

The city council voted 13-to-3 to make possession of less than one ounce (30 grams) of marijuana a civil offense punishable by a $25 fine. The approval vote carried a wide enough margin to override a possible veto by Mayor Michael Nutter, who has not taken a clear position.

Noting that Philadelphia police arrest about 4,000 people per year for possessing small amounts of pot, proponents of the measure say it will save the city millions of dollars on lab tests, police overtime and jail costs while allowing officers to devote more time to serious crime.