BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Cannabis Movement wants the City of Buffalo to decriminalize the possession of two ounces or less of marijuana.
"We want the city to, within the city limits, to tell the Buffalo Police that people shouldn't be arrested if they're in possession of less than two ounces," says Anthony Baney.
Baney is with the Buffalo Cannabis Movement. Tuesday, he is presenting an initiative to Buffalo's Legislation Committee called the Buffalo Cannabis Act.
The group's idea is to make it legal to grow up to six cannabis plants in your home and carry up to two ounces of marijuana on you.
Baney argues that current laws unfairly target minorities who end up in jail for possessing small amount of the drug.
"They shouldn't be arrested for that and put in jail when we need jail space for other criminals that are, you know, committing real offenses," says Baney.
In 2014, New York City decriminalized small amounts of marijuana making it so that possessing 25 grams or less of pot would not get you arrested. You would instead get an appearance ticket.
Buffalo Common Council Member David Franczyk is on the Legislation Committee.
"Do you think that it's realistic that this whole thing could pass or that any part of it could pass?" asked 2 On your Side’s Kelly Dudzik.
"No, I don't. Not at this point in time because what has to happen is that a council member would have to file a resolution which incorporates some of these ideas," says Franczyk.
Franczyk does agree that it would be a good idea to look at the fairness of the criminal justice system especially when it comes to whether having small amount of marijuana on you should land you in jail.
"A 19 year old kid who is pinched for a small amount of marijuana, that he's tarred for the rest of his life and he's generally a good kid, you know, I don't think we should crucify people like that I think there should be some justice and some common sense as far as that goes," says Franczyk.
Group members say they will not give up on the ideas in their proposal.
“If this fails to get out of committee, will you keep trying?" asked Dudzik.
"Yes, we will always keep trying as long as we see that more than four-hundred people within the city of Buffalo are being arrested and that more than 75-percent of them are minorities, I will keep fighting to make sure that we have some kind of reform of the laws or that there is some kind of information kind of conversation within the government," says Baney.
The hearing is at City Hall at 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.