Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
A New Jersey senator has fired a shot across the bow of the lead ship in the War on Drugs. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker has proposed the Marijuana Justice Act, which would legalize marijuana at the federal level and encourages states to legalize the narcotic through the use of financial incentives.
The veteran New Jersey Democrat's bill, which he announced in a live Facebook stream, claims marijuana arrests are happening frequently across the country and poor and minority communities are the target. The legislation would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances as Booker claims the country's drug laws are "badly broken" and "need to be fixed." Booker also cited current drug laws have a disproportionate effect on low-income families and people of color.
While the social impact of marijuana has been a hot topic for years, this bill could go a long way in solving the jail and prison overcrowding epidemic that has gripped the justice system across the nation. The bill calls for federal convictions for use and possession to be expunged and those prisoners serving time would be entitled to a sentencing hearing.
So, not only could offenders potentially regain their freedom and ease overcrowding issues at prisons, the bill also would give them the ability to sue for such claims as disproportionate arrest or imprisonment. What that means is that a minority can sue because they suffered hardship by being incarcerated.
The potential piece of legislation would legalize marijuana at the federal level and withhold federal funding for building jails and prisons, as well as other funds, from states that have cannabis laws that are shown to disproportionately incarcerate minorities.
The bill also would set up Community Reinvestment Funds, which would be established to reinvest funding that would have been spent building prisons and taking care of prisoners to be shifted to re-entry programs, job training, community centers, health education programs, programs and opportunities dedicated to youth and public libraries.
Currently, Washington state, Oregon, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medicinal and recreational use.
Booker claims those states are seeing positives from the benefits of legalization of the drug. However, he also said he is disturbed by how Attorney General Jeff Sessions has signaled the federal government may take a harsher stance on marijuana in the coming months.
States who have medical marijuana laws include Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York state, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Booker has just started the ball rolling on national discussion of decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level. Given the stance of the Trump Administration and Attorney General's office, the proposed Marijuana Justice Act doesn't have a chance of being passed by the Republican-controlled Congress.
But the conversation has started.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Gather your thoughts Conversation on federal legalization of marijuana begins | Editorials | ncnewsonline.com
Contact: Contact Us | Site | ncnewsonline.com
Photo Credit: Kyle Nelson
Website: ncnewsonline.com | Where our community clicks
The veteran New Jersey Democrat's bill, which he announced in a live Facebook stream, claims marijuana arrests are happening frequently across the country and poor and minority communities are the target. The legislation would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances as Booker claims the country's drug laws are "badly broken" and "need to be fixed." Booker also cited current drug laws have a disproportionate effect on low-income families and people of color.
While the social impact of marijuana has been a hot topic for years, this bill could go a long way in solving the jail and prison overcrowding epidemic that has gripped the justice system across the nation. The bill calls for federal convictions for use and possession to be expunged and those prisoners serving time would be entitled to a sentencing hearing.
So, not only could offenders potentially regain their freedom and ease overcrowding issues at prisons, the bill also would give them the ability to sue for such claims as disproportionate arrest or imprisonment. What that means is that a minority can sue because they suffered hardship by being incarcerated.
The potential piece of legislation would legalize marijuana at the federal level and withhold federal funding for building jails and prisons, as well as other funds, from states that have cannabis laws that are shown to disproportionately incarcerate minorities.
The bill also would set up Community Reinvestment Funds, which would be established to reinvest funding that would have been spent building prisons and taking care of prisoners to be shifted to re-entry programs, job training, community centers, health education programs, programs and opportunities dedicated to youth and public libraries.
Currently, Washington state, Oregon, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medicinal and recreational use.
Booker claims those states are seeing positives from the benefits of legalization of the drug. However, he also said he is disturbed by how Attorney General Jeff Sessions has signaled the federal government may take a harsher stance on marijuana in the coming months.
States who have medical marijuana laws include Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York state, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Booker has just started the ball rolling on national discussion of decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level. Given the stance of the Trump Administration and Attorney General's office, the proposed Marijuana Justice Act doesn't have a chance of being passed by the Republican-controlled Congress.
But the conversation has started.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Gather your thoughts Conversation on federal legalization of marijuana begins | Editorials | ncnewsonline.com
Contact: Contact Us | Site | ncnewsonline.com
Photo Credit: Kyle Nelson
Website: ncnewsonline.com | Where our community clicks
