“I decided to join MPP because I believe that we will not fundamentally change policing practices in this country until we put an end to the war on drugs, and it starts with ending the prohibition on cannabis.”
The governor of California discussed systemic racism and injustice that is inspiring mass protests across the country in a speech, and he touted the state’s legalization of marijuana as an example of how it has addressed racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
Today’s addition of chronic pain to the medical cannabis program is a step forward, and will provide desperately needed relief to individuals living with debilitating pain. However, the narrow definition forces individuals to suffer for six months before qualifying, and steers them to more dangerous treatment options.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) is highlighting systemic social issues—including racial disparities in marijuana enforcement—that need to be addressed as people across the country march in response to police killings of black Americans.
“At some point, I have to go to Cory Gardner and say, ‘Why should the industry continue to support you?’” said Marijuana Policy Project’s Don Murphy, a former Republican lawmaker in Maryland. “I know you’re trying, but you’re not getting anything.”
“Neither President Trump nor Vice President Biden have proposed a federal marijuana policy that aligns with the views of the American people,” Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project, told Marijuana Moment. “Anecdotal experience should never serve as the basis for making executive decisions that affect the lives of millions of Americans.”
We applaud the legislature and the governor for implementing a policy that will allow law enforcement to focus resources on more serious crimes and prevent Virginians from having their lives derailed for possessing cannabis, a substance that is safer than alcohol.