Democrat in Houston DA Race Says No Jail for Pot

The Democratic nominee for district attorney in Houston says if elected she won't jail people for small amounts of marijuana.

Kim Ogg says she will instead issue citations and enforce community service for people suspected of misdemeanor pot possession. She says two days of picking up litter would avoid a conviction.

Ogg is running against Republican Houston District Attorney Devon Anderson. The Houston Chronicle reported that Anderson released a statement saying she is working on a similar program and agreed that low-risk offenders are straining the system.

Ogg said more than 12,000 people were charged in 2013 with marijuana possession of less than 4 ounces. She told reporters they were then jailed for an average of five days, costing taxpayers $4.4 million.