Bill Thompson
WMAL.com

Maryland and D.C. have now decriminalized marijuana, and Virginia might be next.

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Democratic State Senator Adam Ebbin is ready to introduce a pot-decriminalization bill in the upcoming General Assembly session. 

"This is not going to legalize marijuana. It is going to make it no longer have a criminal penalty," Ebbin told WJLA.

His bill would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil offense like a traffic ticket, subject to a fine of $100. Under current Virginia law, that same offense is a misdemeanor that carries a 30-day jail sentence and $500 fine.

It is still unclear how this bill will be received once it hits Richmond.

"This certainly is going to be a tough bill to pass, but it's an important conversation to have," Ebbin said.

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