Let’s Bern One: Sanders to Back Bill on Bad Marijuana Laws
It’s the day before a stoners holiday- and Bernie Sanders is the next senator to take a stand, teaming up on legislation to end the federal war on marijuana.
Thursday, Sanders signed on as a co-sponsor alongside Senator Kirsten Gillibrand , of the Justice Act, brought on by Senator Cory Booker. The three senators are also potentially rivals in the next presidential election.
Honored @SenSanders joined my bill, the Marijuana Justice Act, to end the federal prohibition on marijuana.
It's time we reverse decades of failed drug policy that has disproportionately impacted low-income individuals and people of color.
Watch live: https://t.co/xCGXPwVk5E pic.twitter.com/nVSlRiCOA0
— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) April 19, 2018
According to FORBES, “Leaders in the Democratic Party are increasingly recognizing that leading the charge on legalization is not only good policy, but good politics,” Justin Strekal, political director of NORML said in an interview.
This Marijuana Justice Act is being sought on to lawmakers with its detailed plan stating ” to remove marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols from schedule I; and to eliminate criminal penalties for an individual who imports, exports, manufactures, distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute marijuana.” They are planning to use the revenue to create a Treasury federal fund that could be used for projects to reinvest and rebuild low-income communities through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Sanders and Gillibrand have both openly stated their frustrations of the criminalization of marijuana, due to the racial injustice that African-Americans and other minorities are far more statistically likely to be arrested and convicted for marijuana based crimes.
