Washington DC has become the latest place in the United States to legalize the use and possession of small amounts of marijuana. BBC reports:
As of midnight on Thursday (05:00 GMT), people who use the drug in private no longer face prosecution. The change has created tension between the city’s mayor and Congress. Washington DC joins Alaska, Colorado, and Washington state as the only places in the US that allow the use of the drug for recreational purposes.
Residents and visitors to the city over the age of 21 can possess as much as 2oz (56g) of cannabis, and may grow a few plants at home. Buying and selling the drug remains illegal, as does smoking it in public. The plan was overwhelmingly agreed in a referendum last November.
But the vote revived tensions between local officials and Congress. Washington DC – a federal district, not a state – is required to seek congressional approval for much of its legislation. In a letter sent on Tuesday, two members of Congress warned Mayor Muriel Bowser that she would be breaking US law by proceeding.
