Tell the DEA: Decriminalize cannabis now!

Take action before the public comment period closes . . .

Pamela,    For decades, cannabis-related arrests and convictions have led to a lifetime of consequences—from limiting people's ability to access employment and housing opportunities to losing their immigration status and even custody of their children. Black people and other people of color have been harmed most by this policy choice, as laws have been aggressively and disproportionately enforced against them. Pamela, even as 31 U.S. states have fully or partially decriminalized certain cannabis offenses, possession is still a crime under federal law. It's time for federal policy to catch up. Right now, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is considering a rule change that would lower the classification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Although a step in the right direction, this move to reschedule cannabis does not go far enough to address more than 50 years of harm caused by its criminalization.  Instead, the DEA needs to fully decriminalize cannabis and ensure that possession is no longer a crime under federal law. For the next 60 days, the DEA's rule change is open for public comment. We have a real opportunity to urge the DEA to unravel decades of poor policy decisions. Decades after the War on Drugs first began in 1971, the United States continues to enforce misguided, punitive, and counterproductive drug laws like cannabis criminalization—often in racist and discriminatory ways. Black people are still 3.6 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis-related offenses than white people, despite using it at comparable rates.  If cannabis remains on the CSA, people will continue to face penalties at the federal level for possession, including arrest and incarceration. It's long past time that the U.S. abandoned this draconian approach and moved toward legalization. For the next 60 days, YOU have the chance to weigh in before the DEA makes its final decision. Join Vera as we call for cannabis to be fully descheduled.   Thank you for taking action,   Vera Institute of Justice  © 2024 Vera Institute of Justice. All Rights Reserved.   Vera Institute of Justice 34 35th Street | Suite 4-2A | Brooklyn, NY 11232 (212) 334-1300   Privacy Statement | unsubscribe