RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina task force is recommending that the state decriminalize possession of marijuana in small amounts and continue studying the possibility of legalizing possession.
Attorney General Josh Stein, who co-chairs the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice alongside Justice Anita Earls, made the announcement Wednesday.
“You cannot talk about improving racial equity in our criminal justice system without talking about marijuana,” Stein said. “White and Black North Carolinians use marijuana at similar rates, yet Black people are disproportionately arrested and sentenced. Additionally, it is time for North Carolina to start having real conversations about a safe, measured, public health approach to potentially legalizing marijuana.”
Today, possession of up to 1/2 ounce of marijuana is a class 3 misdemeanor in North Carolina. Violations are punishable by a fine up to $200.
Possession of more than 1/2, up to 1.5 ounces, is a class 1 misdemeanor. Violations are punishable by up to 45 days imprisonment and a $200 fine.
The state says that, in 2019, there were 31,287 charges and 8,520 convictions for the class 3 misdemeanor; 61% of those convicted were nonwhite. There were 3,422 charges and 1,909 convictions for the class 3 misdemeanor; 70% of those convicted were nonwhite.
The task force…
