CHICAGO, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is calling on Illinois state lawmakers to decriminalize marijuana possession in ilthe state or at least reduce the penalty for possession of under a gram of any controlled substance to a misdemeanor.
Compared to other areas where marijuana remains illegal, Chicago has reasonably lenient punishments for possession. Individuals caught with 15 grams of marijuana or less are subject to up to $500 fine without jail time. Despite what some see as a soft sentence, the individual is still punished and, in Emanuel's eyes, any punishment runs the risk of leaving someone caught in the criminal justice system.