In a unanimous vote, the St Louis Board of Aldermen voted 23-0 in favor of decriminalizing the possession and cultivation of cannabis within the city limits. Adults 21 and older can now possess up to two ounces of cannabis as well as cultivate up to six plants within their private homes. This is a huge win for the city as Missouri still criminalizes the possession of cannabis. Citizens can face hefty fees along with potential jail time for those charged.
In addition to decriminalizing cannabis and cultivation, the Board also put protections in place for medical cannabis city employees. They can avoid discipline by showing their state issued medical cannabis cards to employers should they test positive on a drug screening.
“This bill basically just harmonizes our local ordinance with the state’s constitution, as well as further decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana,” Alderman Bret Narayan, D, said. “It has the buy-in from the public safety director, it has the buy-in from the director of personnel. We’ve talked to basically every stakeholder along the way.”
Response
The bill, called BB 132, is also greatly supported by Mayor Tishaura Jones, D. She took to Twitter to express her gratitude and explain the importance of this change for the city of St Louis.
In her video, Mayor Jones criticized “outdated marijuana laws that are unfair, unnecessary and discriminatory.” She is looking forward to signing the new legislation. BB 132 will “help reduce racial disparities and give officers more time to focus on violent crime,” she explained.
In 2018, the Aldermen Board approved a bill to lower the penalties for possession to a $25 fee. Now, this bill will remove the fee entirely, making possession up to two ounces completely decriminalized. BB 132 also limits police. They can’t conduct a search or arrest someone based on the smell or sight of cannabis alone. A warrant must be issued for an officer to move forward with any penalties or arrests.
Kansas City
St Louis isn’t the only city in Missouri to decriminalize cannabis possession. In late 2020, Kansas City also moved forward with decriminalization. The city board ended penalties for low-level cannabis possession within city limits.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, D, signed a cannabis measure. This measure also repealed a provision of the Code of Ordinances which said possession of 35 grams or less of cannabis carries a $25 fine. Anything more is punishable by a $500 fine. Mayor Lucas also removed pre-employment drug testing for potential city government workers to not discriminate against medical cannabis patients. Medical cannabis legalized in Missouri in 2018.
Next Steps
St Louis has a few steps to take to get this bill in place. There will be training for police and other staff members on how to handle cannabis situations now decriminalized under BB 132. Additionally, activists continue collecting signatures across the state for ballot reform measures for recreational cannabis legalization. These reform measures also contain provisions for decriminalization.
The future looks bright for Missouri, one city at a time. As more information becomes available, we will update you with the latest.
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