Delaware's passage of a marijuana decriminalization bill on Thursday makes it the 19th state — plus the District of Columbia — in the U.S. to allow the possession of recreational marijuana. After the Delaware Senate gave the nod of approval to the bill, Delaware Gov. Jack Markell almost immediately signed it into law. In Delaware individuals can now possess up to an ounce of marijuana, use it privately, and face reduced penalties for using marijuana in a public space. Fines have been cut from a maximum fine of $1,150 and the possibility of up to six months in jail to a $100 fine, The Guardian reports.
The law passed without the support of a single Republican vote in either the House or the Senate, and will take effect in six months. Delaware was already one of 23 states to have legalized medical marijuana.
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