US | Fri Jun 19, 2015 12:38am EDT

Delware governor signs bill decriminalizing pot: report

Delware Governor Jack Markell has signed into law a bill decriminalizing possession and private use of small amounts of marijuana, following the lead of nearly 20 states that have eased penalties for personal consumption, media reported on Thursday.

The measure will allow individuals in Delware to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, and use it privately without facing criminal sanctions, though police could still confiscate the drug, according to Delaware Online, The News Journal.

The statute also will reduce the penalty for using marijuana in a public place to a $100 civil fine. Under previous Delaware law, simple marijuana possession was a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a maximum fine of $1,150.

The law takes effect in six months. Markell, a Democrat, signed the measure almost immediately after the state Senate, voting along party lines, gave it final legislative approval on Thursday.

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