St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones signed a cannabis decriminalization ordinance this week, saying the measure will help address racial disparities in the city’s enforcement of cannabis prohibition laws. Jones approved the measure, which was passed by the Board of Alderman last month, at a signing ceremony held at City Hall on Monday.

The new ordinance, Board Bill 132, repeals city laws related to the possession of small amounts of cannabis and drug paraphernalia within the City of St. Louis. The mayor’s office noted in a statement that the measure is consistent with Amendment 2, the 2018 ballot measure that legalized medical marijuana in Missouri after receiving the approval of 82 percent of St. Louis voters and more than 65 percent of the vote statewide.

Jones noted that the ordinance is the latest step in her “mission to put the public back in public safety,” noting that over the last three years, almost 600 have been arrested in St. Louis for marijuana-related charges. Of them, nearly 500 were Black.

“We are seeing a major shift in the way our country sees not just marijuana, but how it connects to public safety, incarceration, and economic opportunity in our communities,” Jones told reporters. “This law will help reduce racial disparities in our policing, make our city safer, and make St. Louis more competitive in hiring for city positions.”

Monday’s signing ceremony was attended by aldermen representing communities from across St. Louis. Alderman Bret Narayan, the bill’s sponsor, thanked the mayor and his colleagues, noting that the measure will also have other benefits for the city. 

“It’s rare that we see so many people from so many different backgrounds unite around a single cause, which is exactly

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