On the recordApril 1, 2022
The COVID pandemic has produced a rise in drug abuse, violent crime, and other indicators of collective trauma. These are pressing issues that urgently need resources devoted to them. We must stop wasting precious resources on marijuana offenses. Law enforcement simply cannot afford to chase small-time pot offenders while violent and random crime continues to be on the rise nationwide. The ACLU reports States are wasting billions annually enforcing cannabis laws. This is money, time, and effort better spent on investing in true community safety. Further, Americans overwhelmingly want marijuana reform and 91 percent report that they believe that it should be legalized. Congress is long overdue in marijuana reform and decriminalizing this substance, but we have a long journey ahead to achieve social justice and criminal justice reform. The war on marijuana is a costly relic of the past. Let's vote ``yes'' today so we can build a safer and more equitable tomorrow.
