Washington, D.C. has passed a decriminalization law that took effect Thursday at 12:01 a.m. The law would lessen the penalties for minor pot offenses when a citizen is found carrying less than an ounce.

If someone is found by police carrying less than an ounce of marijuana they'll be assessed a small $25 fine and have the drug confiscated from them.

The law also prohibits police from taking action on someone just because they smell marijuana. Additionally, if someone is carrying less than an ounce of marijuana, cops cannot demand the suspect to display their identification, according to the Washington Post.

The law doesn't allow individuals to use marijuana in public or in federal government properties, according to the Washington Post. If found smoking pot in public or in federal government property, individuals will be subject to civil penalties.

A special eight-page report and training materials were provided to police for the new law, according to the Washington Times.

"As of midnight Wednesday night, no member can make or approve an arrest for marijuana possession without having first taken this training," Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump told the Times.

Those who support the law argue that low-quantity pot busts often target young black and Hispanic men.

Delray Burton, chair of the D.C. Police Union, thinks the law is too vague and confusing.

"This is not a simple issue," he said. "It's about enforcement and decriminalization and where you draw the line of what officers can do and cannot do. Our officers are going to have to go out there and enforce a convoluted mess."

An alternative newspaper, the Washington City Paper, is offering to pay the $25 fine for those caught with small amounts of pot.

Crump wanted to make sure individuals know that the new law does not mean that possession and use of marijuana is legal. "This is absolutely not true," she said in a statement.