CRYSTAL LAKE – The debate over decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana could continue in Crystal Lake, with the majority of the City Council in favor of moving in that direction.

Nationally, the momentum appears to be on the side of decriminalization.

Fourteen states and many more municipalities have approved decriminalization laws in the past 30 years, said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, a national nonprofit organization that supports responsible recreational and medical use of marijuana.