Rep. Cedric L. Richmond called out the "same folks" who punished black folks with the "three strikes" rule are now profiting from weed.
Tonja Renée Stidhum
Marijuana
decriminalization is undoubtedly a hot topic among politicians
nowadays. You may remember New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon making
waves after announcing her pro-marijuana legalization platform and
calling out the criminal justice system for the double standard it has
placed upon black weed users.
Now, it looks like the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is jumping aboard the pro-weed train.
According to The Washington Post, the majority of the 48-member caucus supports legislative reforms that aim to reduce the number of black people in prison. At the center of these proposals is support for ending marijuana's designation as a dangerous drug.
And that's not all: the CBC also wants to delete the criminal records of those who have been arrested for minimal pot possession.
“Some of the same folks who told African Americans, ‘Three strikes and you’re out’ when it came to marijuana use and distribution, are now decriminalizing the drug and making a profit off of it,” said U.S. Representative Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), chair of the CBC, according to the Washington Informer.
Now, it looks like the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is jumping aboard the pro-weed train.
According to The Washington Post, the majority of the 48-member caucus supports legislative reforms that aim to reduce the number of black people in prison. At the center of these proposals is support for ending marijuana's designation as a dangerous drug.
And that's not all: the CBC also wants to delete the criminal records of those who have been arrested for minimal pot possession.
“Some of the same folks who told African Americans, ‘Three strikes and you’re out’ when it came to marijuana use and distribution, are now decriminalizing the drug and making a profit off of it,” said U.S. Representative Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), chair of the CBC, according to the Washington Informer.
According to the CBC, 40 percent of federally convicted drug offenders are black with 12 percent of the overall prison population made up of those serving for marijuana offenses.
The announcement comes days after Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said his office would stop prosecuting marijuana possession and smoking cases. That same day, President Donald Trump confirmed he supports ending the federal ban on marijuana.
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