Subject Support the Marijuana Justice Act

Dear Senator,

Message Body As your constituent, I urge you to support and cosponsor the Marijuana Justice Act, introduced by Senator Cory Booker. It would end federal marijuana prohibition and centers communities most devastated by the war on drugs. From disparate marijuana-related arrests and incarceration rates to deportations and justifications for police brutality – the war on drugs has had disparate harm on low-income communities and communities of color. It’s time to rectify that. The Marijuana Justice Act would do the following: -Remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, ending federal prohibition of marijuana -Cut federal funding for state law enforcement and prison construction if a state disproportionately arrests and/or incarcerates low-income individuals and/or people of color for marijuana offenses -Allow entities to sue states that disproportionately arrest and/or incarcerate low-income individuals and/or people of color for marijuana offenses -Prevent deportations of individuals for marijuana offenses -Provide for a process of expungement for marijuana offenses at the federal level -Provide for a process of resentencing for marijuana offenses at the federal level -Create a “Community Reinvestment Fund” of $500 million to invest in communities most impacted by the war on drugs, for programs such as job training, re-entry assistance, community centers, and more. Part of the funding will come from the aforementioned cuts to state law enforcement and prison construction. Marijuana is legal in eight states, and medical marijuana is legal in twenty-nine states. Nevertheless, it has been estimated that only one percent of dispensary owners are people of color. A landmark 2013 ACLU report showed that despite similar rates of use and sale with white counterparts, African Americans and Latinos comprised nearly 80 percent of the country’s annual marijuana possession arrests. More recently, racial disparities in marijuana arrests have continued in states like New York, Virginia, and Massachusetts. Racial disparities have even continued in places that legalized marijuana, like Colorado (although overall arrests are down) and Washington, D.C. (mostly because Congress has blocked legal sales). This bill will tackle these issues. I hope you will support the Marijuana Justice Act.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

[Your Address]