In an incident earlier this month, Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Lewis was briefly detained by a police officer for possessing marijuana. According to an incident report from the Atlanta Police Department, Lewis was pulled over at approximately 9:21 a.m. on February 2 for driving a vehicle with a suspended registration.

During the traffic stop, the officer conducting the search noticed the smell of raw marijuana emanating from inside Lewis's 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The officer promptly informed Lewis of the scent and gave him two options: voluntarily surrender the drugs or face the possibility of an extensive search involving canines. In response, Lewis handed over an unsmoked blunt containing four grams of marijuana.

The encounter was captured in body camera footage obtained by FOX 5 news. In the video, Officer Kenneth Wilson can be heard informing Lewis about the marijuana odor. Subsequently, Lewis complied, resulting in Officer Wilson placing him in handcuffs and writing tickets for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended registration.

During the arrest, Officer Wilson inquired about Lewis's role as a city councilman, stating, "Well, make sure you tell everyone Officer Wilson treated you fairly."

Lewis was cited and released at the scene. He has not yet responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

Interestingly, Atlanta's city council had unanimously decriminalized the possession of marijuana up to one ounce in October 2017. This ordinance reduced the offense from an arrest to a simple citation, with a fine of $75 instead of the more severe penalties stipulated under Georgia law, which includes up to one year behind bars or a $1,000 fine, or both, for possession of less than one ounce.

The incident involving Councilman Antonio Lewis highlights the ongoing debate surrounding marijuana laws, as different jurisdictions within a state may have varying regulations and penalties associated with its possession.