Following the lead of numerous other communities in the state, the Tampa City Council signed off for a final time on an ordinance that will lighten the consequences for someone caught with under 20 grams of marijuana within the city.
Once the law is officially on the city's books, police will not be compelled to arrest someone caught in possession of small amounts of the substance, which most people deem harmless to adults, especially when compared to alcohol and prescription painkillers.
Instead, they would issue a ticket and fine those caught in possession in most cases, with the fine amount going up with every offense.
Those in favor of the bill showed up to Tampa City Hall in droves to numerous hearings on the ordinance to call on council to support the policy, which advocates say often dooms low-income offenders to a lifetime of dealing with the criminal justice system even though such a "crime" is about the least harmful or violent act one can commit.
They also stressed what little harm the substance itself does, noting that many consider it medicinal.
Detractors said they were concerned with the substance's impact on youth.
The Council voted 5-1 to approve the new policy, with councilman Charlie Miranda dissenting.
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn now has to sign off on it.
Across the bay, St. Petersburg is in the process of developing a similar law.
This article appears in Mar 17-23, 2016.