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Kennesaw council debates reducing misdemeanor marijuana penalties; agrees to place ordinance change on future agenda
Summary
Councilmembers debated a proposal to reduce the possible penalty for misdemeanor marijuana possession from the state maximum (up to 12 months and a fine) to a local penalty of up to $500 or community service. Legal staff said the city has not prosecuted such cases since about 2019–2020 because the state lab has not processed samples; council agreed to place a change on a future agenda for public hearing and vote.
Councilmember Anthony reopened a proposal at the June 30 work session to reduce the local penalty for misdemeanor marijuana possession. Anthony said he sought compromise wording changing the possibility of up to 12 months in jail and a fine up to $1,000 to a local penalty of a fine not exceeding $500 or community service or both.
The presiding officer and other councilmembers expressed reluctance to diverge from state statutory maximums and signaled concern about making the city “one of the 15” that imposes different…
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