CHICAGO – The Chicago City Council on Wednesday approved a measure that would allow police officers to ticket people found with small amounts of marijuana instead of arresting them.

Aldermen voted, 43-3, in favor of the ordinance, under which anyone in possession of 15 grams of marijuana – roughly the equivalent of 15 marijuana cigarettes – faces a fine between $250 and $500.

Both Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Garry Mc-
Carthy support the ordinance, and a marked jump in Chicago’s homicide rate might have given the proposal more steam. Homicides are up by about 50 percent so far this year compared with the same period last year.