NYC police will no longer arrest for small amounts of marijuana

NEW YORK (KGO) -- New York City police will no longer arrest people caught carrying small amounts of marijuana. Instead, they'll get a ticket, like they would for speeding.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and police commissioner Bill Bratton made the announcement today. It follows a decision by the district attorney in Brooklyn -- New York's most populous borough -- to stop prosecuting people found with a small amount of pot.

"One of the ways to avoid a summons is don't do it. It's that simple. Don't smoke it, don't carry it, don't use it, it's still against the law," Bratton said.

"Particularly with our young people who may make a mistake from time to time, that mistake will not have as negative an impact on their future if it is a summons versus an arrest," De Blasio said.

Police also faced criticism because blacks and Latinos made up 86 percent of the people arrested for pot possession during the first part of this year.