Tell the Biden Administration to End Marijuana Criminalization & Address its Harms

Some people think the fight to decriminalize and legalize marijuana has already been won. Far from it. Despite marijuana being legal in more than 20 states, it is still illegal federally and one of the most commonly arrested offenses. That means that people can still be arrested, jailed, and deported for marijuana. And it means that communities of color and noncitizens continue to bear the brunt of racially discriminatory enforcement.

A vast majority of Americans agree that marijuana prohibition is ruining lives. Even President Biden agrees. But the steps he’s taken toward reform are nowhere near enough to ensure our communities are not harmed by marijuana prohibition. The Biden Administration must deschedule, or decriminalize marijuana to end the harms of criminalization.

And he can’t stop there. Biden must take actions to repair the harms of criminalization and reinvest in communities most impacted by prohibition.

Tell Biden to decriminalize and legalize marijuana the right way – with equity and justice at the forefront.

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Your Message

Subject

Dear President Biden,

Message Body

I wish to thank you for acknowledging the vast harms of marijuana criminalization. But the steps you’ve taken alone will neither fulfill your campaign pledge to decriminalize marijuana nor repair past harms from racially discriminatory enforcement of marijuana laws. That's why I urge you to fully deschedule marijuana and support comprehensive marijuana reform legislation in Congress such as the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). This bill would deschedule marijuana, repair the past harms of prohibition, and provide a regulatory framework for marijuana markets.

To achieve your campaign promise to decriminalize marijuana, it must be fully removed from the CSA by descheduling it. Rescheduling marijuana to a less restrictive schedule in the CSA would do little to address the harms of federal criminalization. As long as marijuana remains anywhere in the CSA, the majority of the problems associated with its criminalization will persist.

Descheduling marijuana through comprehensive Congressional legislation is the preferred path to end and repair the harms caused by criminalization. The House of Representatives has twice passed comprehensive descheduling legislation, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, in 2020 and 2022, that contained automatic expungement, retroactive relief, and dedicated marijuana tax revenue to reinvest in communities harmed by discriminatory enforcement of criminalization. More recently, Senate Majority Leader Schumer along with Senators Booker and Wyden introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) in the 117th Congress. This bill builds off of the MORE Act and includes enhanced criminal justice reform, stronger protections for noncitizens, and a more robust regulatory framework. I urge you to use your influence to encourage Congress to pass comprehensive marijuana descheduling legislation that includes a well-thought-out plan for federal regulation and for implementing interstate commerce that is rooted in equity.

To end and repair the harms of decades of racially discriminatory enforcement of marijuana laws, we need complete and comprehensive legislative reform now. In the meantime, you can direct your administrative agencies to limit the collateral consequences and denial of benefits that can stem from a marijuana arrest.  This is not only the right thing to do, it is the popular thing as well. A Data For Progress poll found even in states where marijuana remains criminalized, bipartisan majorities support ending marijuana criminalization for personal use and sales.

Please do the right thing and stand on the side of equity and justice. Thank you!

Sincerely,

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

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