Israel Plans to Decriminalize Small-Scale Marijuana Use

(NBC) Israel plans to decriminalize personal marijuana use, Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Thursday, adopting an approach similar to some U.S. states and European countries. Erdan said that if the government approves his new policy, those caught smoking marijuana would be fined rather than arrested and prosecuted. Criminal procedures would be launched only against those caught repeatedly. "Police will be able to redirect resources ... away from normative personal users and focus instead on dangerous drugs," Erdan told a news conference in Tel Aviv.