Chicago Mayor Calls for Statewide Defelonization of Drug Possession Offenses.

Chicago Mayor Calls for Statewide Defelonization of Drug Possession Offenses.

 Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) today proposed before a General Assembly panel in Chicago that drug  possession of up to a gram of any controlled substance be treated as a misdemeanor, not a felony, as is currently the case. Emanuel also proposed decriminalizing marijuana possession statewide. “It doesn’t make sense that one arrest for a very small amount of a controlled substance can lead to a lifetime of struggles,” Emanuel said. “It is time to put our sentencing policies in line with our values, reduce penalties for nonviolent, misdemeanor drug offenses so we don’t put people in prison who need drug treatment.”