To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Tell Congress it's time to decriminalize marijuana
Senator Chuck Schumer announced his plan to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level by allowing states to decide their own marijuana laws without federal intervention, removing marijuana from classification alongside heroin, and establish funding for women and minority-owned marijuana businesses. Tell Congress it’s time to decriminalize marijuana.
Why is this important?
Schumer's actions demonstrate just how far public opinion on marijuana policy has come. He’s one of the nation's top Democrats and for years has opposed legalization efforts. There’s never been more momentum to push for sensible federal marijuana laws than there is right now.
Under current federal scheduling, marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug — that means the federal government considers it just as dangerous as heroin. Schumer's proposal would change this and bring federal policy in line with public opinion. Marijuana is already legal for medical use in 29 states and for adult recreational use in nine plus Washington, D.C. A Gallup survey from October showed 64% of Americans believe marijuana should be legal and that a majority of Republicans do as well.
Most importantly, federal marijuana reform is needed as a key component of sentencing and criminal justice reform. We need to address the racial disparities in our marijuana and drug law enforcement and encourage states to do the same because that’s where most marijuana arrests and jailings are happening.
Our project, Nation of Second Chances, seeks to humanize those who spent decades in prison for nonviolent drug offenses, by telling the stories of those freed by President Obama's historic clemency initiative. Our hope is that these stories will change minds and hearts by demonstrating the needless hardships these people and their families endured, and the wonderful things they’re accomplishing with new found freedom."
Let's show Congress that the time for reform is now. Please sign our petition calling on Congress to decriminalize marijuana.
Under current federal scheduling, marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug — that means the federal government considers it just as dangerous as heroin. Schumer's proposal would change this and bring federal policy in line with public opinion. Marijuana is already legal for medical use in 29 states and for adult recreational use in nine plus Washington, D.C. A Gallup survey from October showed 64% of Americans believe marijuana should be legal and that a majority of Republicans do as well.
Most importantly, federal marijuana reform is needed as a key component of sentencing and criminal justice reform. We need to address the racial disparities in our marijuana and drug law enforcement and encourage states to do the same because that’s where most marijuana arrests and jailings are happening.
Our project, Nation of Second Chances, seeks to humanize those who spent decades in prison for nonviolent drug offenses, by telling the stories of those freed by President Obama's historic clemency initiative. Our hope is that these stories will change minds and hearts by demonstrating the needless hardships these people and their families endured, and the wonderful things they’re accomplishing with new found freedom."
Let's show Congress that the time for reform is now. Please sign our petition calling on Congress to decriminalize marijuana.