Councilwoman Susan Guidry has guts.

She introduced an ordinance in 2010 that allowed NOPD to issue summons for possession of marijuana, instead of a big fine and jail time. Since then her office credits a shift of a 50 percent reduction in marijuana arrests in the city, according to a report from The New Orleans Advocate.

Guidry plans to introduce a discussion this week at a Wednesday hearing of the New Orleans City Council’s Criminal Justics Committee that she chairs.

According to the Advocate: “I think there is a sense among the majority of people that marijuana offenses should not be harshly punished,” Guidry said.

Under the proposed ordinance, officers would be directed to give a verbal warning the first time someone is caught with the drug. A written warning would follow for second offenses; a third-time offender would face a $50 fine and subsequent offenses would face a fine that’s capped at $100.

I would venture to say that majority of everyone in this city over the age of 15 has at least tried smoking weed—although personally I feel that 15 (or younger) is way too young to be smoking grass. But then again I don’t believe in 15-year-olds drinking either. The fact of the matter is that you and I know that marijuana is readily available, people indulge in it all the time.

To be clear: in my opinion, smoking weed is not something that should be done on a daily basis, and maybe not even on a regular basis. There is a psychological addition factor that one has to consider. Recreational use…well how could anyone have a problem with that when people in this city overindulge in alcohol every single day? We could go on and on about how some claim that weed is “gateway” drug, but I personally am not convinced of that. Alcohol consumption is a much bigger problem than marijuana, except that marijuana is federally illegal and has carried very stringent penalties even for possession; possession of alcohol does not, if the user is of age and is not impaired.

Imposing draconian penalties of jail time and high fines is just not realistic. Jail time for possession of marijuana has ruined many a young person’s life because then they have a jail record. And please don’t tell me how smoking weed is more damaging than drinking alcohol.

I applaud Councilwoman Guidry’s stand and recommendations on this issue. It’s a gutsy move by a politician that’s already had a positive impact on New Orleans citizens.

But, Councilwoman Guidry is, at this point, introducing the ordinance to the council. It’s going to take acceptance by the rest of the New Orleans City Council to make these changes. I would suggest that you contact your New Orleans City Council representative to make your voice heard. Do it today.