The city council of Kansas City, Missouri, announced that they passed the Mayor Quinton Lucas’ ordinance that removes the possession or control of marijuana as a violation of city ordinance. The City Council passed the new ordinance on Thursday by a 9-4 vote. The office cites “the American Civil Liberties Union in saying Black Americans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession despite roughly equal usage rates”. In a press release, the mayor’s office said that public opinion surrounding marijuana prompted the change in ordinances and has dramatically changed the city’s criminal justice reform.
– KMBC News, July 9th, 2020