Ask Congress: Pass the Marijuana Justice Act

It's Time for Marijuana Justice

Senator Cory Booker (NJ) introduced the Marijuana Justice Act in the U.S. Senate and Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House to end federal marijuana prohibition, support racial justice, and help repair communities most devastated by the war on drugs.

This is the future of marijuana legalization. The Marijuana Justice Act would also stop Sessions’ destructive war on marijuana, while ensuring that communities most harmed by prohibition are not left behind.

Tell your Members of Congress it’s time to pass the Marijuana Justice Act.

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Your Message

Subject

Dear Member of Congress,

Message Body

As your constituent, I urge you to support and cosponsor the Marijuana Justice Act (S. 1689/H.R. 4815), which was introduced by Senator Cory Booker (NJ) in the Senate and Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) in the House. It would end federal marijuana prohibition and centers communities most devastated by the war on drugs.

From disparate marijuana-related arrests and incarceration rates to deportations and police brutality – the war on drugs has had disparate harm on low-income communities and communities of color. It’s time to rectify that.

The Marijuana Justice Act would do the following:

-- Remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, ending federal prohibition of marijuana
-- Cut federal funding for state law enforcement and prison construction if a state disproportionately arrests and/or incarcerates low-income individuals and/or people of color for marijuana offenses
-- Allow entities to sue states that disproportionately arrest and/or incarcerate low-income individuals and/or people of color for marijuana offenses
-- Prevent deportations of individuals for marijuana offenses
-- Provide for a process of expungement for marijuana offenses at the federal level
-- Provide for a process of resentencing for marijuana offenses at the federal level
-- Create a “Community Reinvestment Fund” of $500 million to invest in communities most impacted by the war on drugs, for programs such as job training, reentry, community centers, and more. Part of the funding will come from the aforementioned cuts to state law enforcement and prison construction.

In addition to ensuring that communities worst harmed by prohibition are not left behind, the Marijuana Justice Act is also a solution to stopping Sessions’ destructive war on marijuana. Sessions recently rescinded the Cole Memo and opened the door for a federal crackdown in states that have legalized marijuana. But Congress can protect our progress with passage of the Marijuana Justice Act to permanently limit federal interference in state legalization laws.

Marijuana is legal in nine states and D.C., and medical marijuana is legal in 31 states and D.C. Nevertheless, it has been estimated that only one percent of dispensary owners are people of color. A landmark 2013 ACLU report showed that despite similar rates of use and sale with white counterparts, African Americans and Latinos comprised nearly 80 percent of the country’s annual marijuana possession arrests. More recently, racial disparities in marijuana arrests have continued in states like New York, Virginia, and Massachusetts. Racial disparities have even continued in places that legalized marijuana, like Colorado (although overall arrests are down) and Washington, D.C. (mostly because Congress has blocked legal sales). This bill will tackle these issues. I hope you will support the Marijuana Justice Act.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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