Miami Beach commissioners are tightening marijuana rules ahead of the popular spring break season.
The panel approved last week to eliminate an optional civil penalty for those caught with 20 grams or less of marijuana.
“We’re closing the door on Spring Break, recriminalizing marijuana, and imposing the harshest penalties for reckless behavior,” Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who sponsored the proposal, said in a statement. “The anything-goes party atmosphere is over.“
Commissioners stated that the optional $100 civil penalty does not effectively dissuade people from consuming or possessing marijuana in public.
Since the punishment went into place eight years ago, police have reported just a small number of civil citations rather than arrests.
Miami Beach is the sole city in Miami-Dade County to pursue its own criminal ordinance infractions.
Smoking marijuana in public carries a felony sentence of up to 60 days in prison and a $500 fine.
“The optional $100 civil penalty did not discourage public marijuana use. Instead, people were encouraged to disregard our laws,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “Miami Beach enforces its laws reinforcing our commitment as a law and order city.”
The announcement comes as the city cracks down on boisterous spring breakers with what officials claim are the most stringent safety measures ever.