Friend,
Today is 4/20, a day that has become synonymous with the fight to end the harmful and ineffective prohibition of marijuana in this country. I'm writing to urge you to join me in the fight to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.
As you may know, the Senate last year unanimously passed a marijuana research bill to remove existing barriers to researchers’ ability to study the potential benefits of marijuana-derived medications. It is also considering proposals to allow veterans at VA hospitals to discuss medical marijuana treatment options, clarify the permissibility of federally-regulated banks to do business with legal cannabis companies, and build out an industrial hemp agricultural sector that could benefit the farm economy.
I support these measures, but I support something else too -- at long last, decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level by removing it from the Controlled Substances List.
Decriminalizing marijuana is not only the right thing to do from a social justice perspective but also the smart thing to do from an economic perspective. The prohibition of marijuana has cost taxpayers billions of dollars, and it has resulted in the unnecessary criminalization of millions of Americans, particularly people of color.
It's time for us to take action and push for meaningful change. Add your name to join me in calling on my colleagues in the Senate to support the federal decriminalization of marijuana. And tell Congress it’s time to ensure this harmful and outdated policy is relegated to the history books.
