Most New Yorkers caught smoking pot in public will be issued summonses rather than arrested starting on Sept. 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner James O’Neill announced Tuesday.
City officials believe the move could reduce the number of marijuana arrests in the city by as much as 10,000 a year.
“This new policy will help reduce unnecessary arrests, while making our city fairer and safer,” de Blasio said in a statement ahead of a press conference in East Harlem where he was to provide details of the enforcement plan.
The initiative carves out exceptions for people on probation, parole, or with an outstanding criminal warrant, or for anyone caught smoking weed while driving or without ID.
Pot smokers with a violent history would also be likely to face arrest.
Fewer than 17,000 people were arrested for smoking pot in public in 2017, officials said.
The policy was revealed after a 30-day working group on marijuana enforcement, but was telegraphed publicly by de Blasio just days after he formed the committee.
The mayor has said the changes are necessary because of the significantly higher number of marijuana-related arrests among black and Hispanic residents, even though that disparity had been highlighted by advocates for years.
De Blasio has also said the shift makes sense because the state appears to be moving toward full legalization of recreational marijuana.