A bill decriminalizing marijuana in the U.S. capital was approved by the Washington's city council on Tuesday, a move that would make smoking pot a violation comparable to a parking ticket, Reuters reported.

The legislation passed the second of two votes with the support of 10 of the 13 city councilors, and will now go to the desk of Democratic Mayor Vincent Gray, who supports the measure, Reuters reported.

"It will have a profound impact on the people of the District of Columbia to decriminalize this marijuana,"  Councilman David Grosso said, according to Reuters."I think that should be done expeditiously here in this body and, hopefully, with the support of our mayor."

Although marijuana is still illegal under federal law, 15 U.S. states and a handful of cities have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of the drug. Colorado and Washington state have gone farther and legalized marijuana outright, a step that Rhode Island is also considering, Reuters reported.

Tommy Wells, the bill's sponsor, told Reuters the new measure "moves us in the right direction."

He added that there are more than 5,000 arrests per year for marijuana possession in Washington.

Eight times more black people are arrested for pot possession in the district than people of other races, according to an American Civil Liberties Union study.

The bill makes possession of less than an ounce (28 grams) of pot a civil violation. The penalty would just be a $25 fine, lower than most city parking tickets.

Possession of marijuana in Washington is now a misdemeanor carrying up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Patients who use medical marijuana are exempt.  

Grosso said he looks forward to the "next step" of taxing and regulating the sale of the drug.