DOCSLIB.ORG

Criminal Injustice: Cannabis & the Rise of the Carceral State

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Criminal Injustice: Cannabis & the Rise of the Carceral State CANNABIS & THE RISE OF THE CARCERAL STATE PART I: POLICING 1 PART I THE POLICING OF MARIJUANA PROHIBITION CRIMINAL INJUSTICE: CANNABIS & THE RISE OF THE CARCERAL STATE BROUGHT TO YOU BY: THE LAST PRISONER PROJECT COPYRIGHT © 2020 NATALIE PAPILLION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a But our work cannot end there. nonprofit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice Now, more than ever, it is reform. imperative that we seize on the opportunity to reform our justice As the United States moves away system through cannabis-related from the criminalization of policy solutions that work to end cannabis, giving rise to a major the vicious cycle of Americans new industry, there remains the being caught up in every aspect of fundamental injustice inflicted the criminal legal system. upon those who have suffered under America’s unjust policy of I am hopeful that this work will cannabis prohibition. enable us to more effectively push for broad, systemic change Through intervention, advocacy so that we may see the day where and awareness campaigns, the the last cannabis prisoner walks Last Prisoner Project works to free. redress the past and continuing harms of these unjust laws and policies. To date, a key focus of LPP has been our direct service work to S A R A H G E R S T E N release currently incarcerated E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R , cannabis prisoners. L A S T P R I S O N E R P R O J E C T On July 28, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed Reorganization Plan No. 2 into law. The executive order FOREWARD established the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. A few months later, Larcenia Floyd gave birth Less than five minutes after the in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She battering ram broached her apartment named the baby George. door, the twenty-six-year-old was dead —shot at least eight times as she On May 25, 2020, that baby—now a cowered in her bedroom. No drugs 46-year-old man—left this world. were found at Taylor’s home. George Floyd died after a Minneapolis policeman kneeled on his neck for In life, George Floyd, Philando Castile, eight minutes and forty-six seconds. As and Breonna Taylor—all born exactly Floyd suffocated on the sidewalk ten years apart—had little in common. outside of a Cups Food, bystanders pleaded with the cop to stop. As a But in death, their stories became dying Floyd called out for his dead inextricably linked. As the bullets mother, another officer taunted the ripped through their bodies or a knee crowd. “This is why you don’t do drugs, stole their last breath, they became kids,” he said to no one in particular. three more casualties of America’s five- decade-long War on Drugs. A decade after Floyd’s birth, Philando Castile entered this world. On July 6, Their tragic deaths are visceral 2016—a few days shy of his thirty-third reminders of the staggeringly high birthday—he was killed during a traffic costs of this unjust, unyielding stop. It was at least the fifty-third time crusade. The prejudicial penal code the school cafeteria worker had been and discriminatory policing practices of pulled over in recent years.1 The our country’s drug war have destroyed encounter was live-streamed on millions of lives, devastated countless Facebook; a four-year-old girl wails in communities, and exacerbated the the backseat as the Minneapolis police gross inequities in American society. officer fires at least seven rounds into the car. The cop who killed Castile was And despite expending trillions of acquitted after claiming his white dollars on drug control efforts, the Oldsmobile smelled of burnt nation’s “public enemy number one” marijuana, an odor that caused the remains as impervious to these efforts officer to “fear for his life.” as it did when we declared war some fifty years ago Almost ten years to the day after Castile was born, Breonna Taylor made her first appearance on this Earth. Shortly after midnight on March 13, Natalie Papillion 2020, Taylor awoke to the sound of shouting and flash-bang grenades. The police officers that opened fire on her apartment claimed to be looking for N A T A L I E P A P I L L I O N Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, an alleged drug AUTHOR, CRIMINAL INJUSTICE dealer who had been in police custody FOUNDER, THE EQUITY ORGANIZATION hours before the raid. F S O T E N L E B T A T N I N T R O D U C T I O N PREFACE O INTRODUCTION 7 C T H E P O L I T I C S O F P R O H I B I T I O N IDEOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS 11 EARLY ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS T H E P O L I C I N G O F P R O H I B I T I O N PHILOSOPHICAL & PROCEDURAL IMPERATIVES THE 1990s & THE NEW MARIJUANA MENACE 24 THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES OF CANNABIS POLICING T H E P E R V E R S E I N C E N T I V E S O F P R O H I B I T I O N DRUG WAR RHETORIC & REVENUE DOLLARS FOR DRUG ENFORCEMENT 45 THE RISE OF THE WEED WARRIOR C O N C L U S I O N CONCLUSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 64 NOTES & REFERENCES INTRODUCTION 6 PREFACE broach the dismantling of the drug war. This despite the fact that one of In recent years, America has borne every five people behind bars in the 4 witness to a seismic shift in the U.S is there due to a drug charge.​ public’s view of our criminal justice system. This general apathy has held steady even as protesters overtake American To the public’s credit, people across streets demanding our policymakers the country have finally started to dismantle, defund, or otherwise come around to the fact that the reform the police. Drug-related nation cannot continue to afford the enforcement is one, if not ​the, ​biggest social, spiritual, and financial costs of drivers of police harassment, locking up over 2.3 million people in misconduct, and violence in America. 1,833 state prisons, 110 federal And yet, drug policy rarely comes up prisons, 1,772 juvenile correctional in conversations around police facilities, 3,134 local jails, 218 reform. immigration detention facilities, and As the country finds itself on the 80 Indian Country jails.​3 The precipice of meaningful change, we staggering human and economic costs must ensure we’re pushing to of this “carceral state” have catalyzed dismantle this ineffective crusade. a groundswell of public and political Drug policy reform is criminal justice support for criminal justice-related reform. It is policing reform. It is a reforms. critical piece of the work we must do Despite rising support for criminal to ensure a safer, more just, and more justice reform, policymakers and the equitable society. general public have yet to seriously INTRODUCTION stops all-too-frequently escalate into harassment, unjust incarceration, and Given that everyone from Martha even more devastating forms of Stewart to John Boehner seems to be state-sanctioned violence. hawking a marijuana line these days, one could be forgiven for thinking the This burden is not equally shared by country has retreated from its all. Although white people are just as century-long War on Weed. Sadly, the likely to consume marijuana as their conflict’s still very much on. non-white peers, Black and Latinx communities bear the overwhelming For decades, the policing of our brunt of cannabis-related cannabis laws has served as the enforcement and the harassment and backbone of our unjust, unyielding, police brutality it entails. and ineffective anti-drug crusade. It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that no These racial disparities are not an element of our modern-day drug unfortunate consequence of American control efforts has proven to be more policing practices. They’re by design. devastating than our national policy of The criminalization of cannabis was marijuana prohibition. born out of an explicit desire to maintain social control over America’s Though presidents may no longer take communities of color. And this policy to the podium to declare marijuana hasn’t just fulfilled its function— it’s the most dangerous drug in America, been more successful than its the policing of marijuana prohibition founders could have dreamed. has played a critical—if understudied—role in fueling the The ​Criminal Injustice ​series takes a over-policing of underserved comprehensive look at the past communities, the tragedy of mass century of cannabis-related policies incarceration, and countless other and practices and attempts to social injustices and racial inequities.​5 quantify the impact prohibition has had on the creation, expansion, and Every year, the enforcement of our evolution of America’s carceral state. country’s cannabis laws subjects Each of the installations of ​Criminal millions of people to unnecessary and Injustice focuses on a different often dangerous encounters with law element of the criminal justice system: enforcement authorities. As headline policing, courts and incarceration, after headline sadly illustrates, these and the collateral consequences of a conviction. Despite what many would have us believe, marijuana is not a gateway The first installation of ​Criminal drug. At least not in the sense most Injustice ​centers on “police work”: the people imagine. It is, however, a philosophy, policies, and practices that gateway drug for Black and brown constitute the “front door” of the people: a gateway to arrests, carceral state.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Building a 21St Century Approach to Drugs
    Briefing | January 2018 Building a 21st century approach to drugs The ’war on drugs’ is collapsing. Now let’s build the alternative. The ‘war on drugs’ was built on shaky Building a new drug policy foundations. Now, countries around the world from Canada, to Uruguay, Portugal architecture and many US states are beginning to This new approach will ensure that rather than dismantle it piece by piece. Its collapse is penalising or criminalising people involved in the drug good news for people and communities trade, we recognise that it is often injustice, inequality around the world, providing us with the and vulnerability that drives them to engage in that opportunity to build a new approach to trade in the first place, whether that is as consumers, producers or suppliers. Rather than compounding drugs that prioritises, promotes and problems like poverty, powerlessness and stigma with a protects human health and well-being. hard-line prohibitionist approach, which has failed on its This shift, from a criminal justice approach own terms, we must aim to approach drug policy in a to health-based policy making, is essential way that works to address these drivers of engagement if we want to take drug policy into the with the drug trade, and at the same time makes 21st century. It is time for the UK to catch engaging in that trade as harm-free as possible. If we do up, and develop and promote appropriate, this effectively we have the chance to develop and build a whole new paradigm to replace the ‘war on drugs.’ evidence-based, and sustainable alternatives both in the UK and globally.
    [Show full text]
  • Tobaccocontrol40881 293..295
    Endgame visions Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.2010.040881 on 16 February 2012. Downloaded from What are the elements of the tobacco endgame? George Thomson, Richard Edwards, Nick Wilson, Tony Blakely Department of Public Health, ABSTRACT SOME ELEMENTS OF ENDGAME STRATEGIES University of Otago, Wellington, The available literature on tobacco endgames tends to be The following elements attempt to define ‘real’ New Zealand limited to discussing means, targets and difficulties. This endgame strategies, as opposed to purely aspira- Correspondence to article offers additional ideas on the key elements of tional ideas. We visualise endgame strategies as George Thomson, University of endgame strategies and the circumstances in which a process of both planning and implementation. Otago, Box 7343, Wellington these are likely to be adopted and implemented. We The process includes questions such as: how do we South, Wellington 6002, New suggest such strategies will include explicit plans, will reach the endgame goal within the planned time Zealand; [email protected] define the nature of ‘the end of tobacco use/sale’ and period and what other things can be done now or have target dates within 20 years. The likely within the planned period to help achieve the goal? Received 27 February 2011 circumstances for endgame strategy development We suggest that effective government endgame Accepted 2 August 2011 include low (probably under 15% adult smoking) strategies will have the elements of: prevalence and/or rapid prevalence reductions, wide 1. Having an explicit government intention and support and strong political leadership. Even with some plan to achieve close to zero prevalence of or all these circumstances, opposition from business, tobacco use.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Cannabis Regulations Working Group
    FEDERAL CANNABIS REGULATIONS WORKING GROUP: CORE GROUP MEMBERS a working group of experts convened by the Drug Policy Alliance to explore and develop policy recommendations for federal cannabis regulations grounded in public health, equity, and justice reform considerations. QUEEN ADESUYI Queen Adesuyi is a policy manager at the Drug Policy Alliance’s National Affairs office in Washington, D.C., where she works to advance several of DPA’s legislative priorities on the federal level, including marijuana legalization with a racial justice focus, drug decriminalization, and eliminating punitive consequences for drug use and previous convictions. She also advocates for equity/racial justice in plans for the District of Columbia’s emerging marijuana industry, in addition to advancing overdose prevention measures and harm reduction in the District. While at DPA, Queen saw through the introduction of the Marijuana Justice Act, Congress’ first marijuana reform bill that addressed racial justice and justice reform issues. She helped convene and co-leads the Marijuana Justice Coalition. Under her co-leadership, the Marijuana Justice Coalition has worked on the introduction and the historic passage of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment & Expungement (MORE) Act by the U.S. House of Representatives in the 116th Congress. The Coalition continues to work to see the continued improvement of the MORE Act and its successful reintroduction and movement through both chambers of Congress. AAMRA AHMAD Aamra Ahmad is currently the Senior Policy Counsel for the Justice Division of the ACLU and an advocate for federal criminal justice reform. She previously served as legislative counsel to Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3) and in her previous role at the Federal Public & Community Defenders, oversaw their national litigation strategy that contributed to reduced sentences for over 3,363 people incarcerated under racially unjust drug laws.
    [Show full text]
  • Idpc Drug Policy Guide 3Rd Edition
    IDPC DRUG POLICY GUIDE 3RD EDITION IDPC Drug Policy Guide 3 IDPC DRUG POLICY GUIDE 3RD EDITION Acknowledgements Global Drug Policy Observatory) • Dave Borden (StoptheDrugWar.org) IDPC would like to thank the following authors for drafting chapters of the 3rd Edition of the • Eric Gutierrez (Christian Aid) IDPC Drug Policy Guide: • Fabienne Hariga (United Nations Office on • Andrea Huber (Policy Director, Penal Reform Drugs and Crime) International) • George McBride (Beckley Foundation) • Benoit Gomis (Independent international • Gloria Lai (IDPC) security analyst, Associate Fellow at Chatham House, and Research Associate at Simon Fraser • Graham Bartlett (former Chief Superintendent University) of the Sussex Police) • Christopher Hallam (Research Officer, IDPC) • Gregor Burkhart (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction) • Coletta Youngers (Consultant, IDPC & Washington Office on Latin America) • Ines Gimenez • Diana Guzmán (Associate investigator, • Jamie Bridge (IDPC) DeJusticia, Associate Professor at Colombian • Javier Sagredo (United Nations Development National University and PhD candidate at Program) Stanford University) • Jean-Felix Savary (Groupement Romand • Diederik Lohman (Associate Director, Health d’Etudes en Addictologie) and Human Rights Division, Human Rights • Juan Fernandez Ochoa (IDPC) Watch) • Katherine Pettus (International Association for • Gloria Lai (Senior Policy Officer, IDPC) Hospice and Palliative Care) • Jamie Bridge (Senior Policy and Operations Manager, IDPC) • Luciana Pol (Centro de Estudios
    [Show full text]
  • Synthetic Cannabinoid Fact Sheet
    Synthetic Cannabinoid Fact Sheet 09 June 2016 What is synthetic marijuana? Why do people use synthetic cannabinoid “Synthetic marijuana” is a common, but misleading, products like “Spice” and “K2?” term that refers to a class of substances more The emergence of synthetic cannabinoids has accurately called cannabinoid receptor agonists or mirrored the same trends seen with other novel synthetic cannabinoids.i Whereas marijuana usually psychoactive substances. People may use synthetic refers to the dried flowered buds of the actual plant, cannabinoids when experimenting with other which derives its main psychoactive effect through substances, and in some cases use may be THCii, synthetic cannabinoids get their name from their accidental. action on various cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Sacrificing accuracy for simplicity, people in public Most people aren’t aware that the effects are unlike office, the media, and law enforcement use the term marijuana – thus repeated use is rare. And, if given “synthetic marijuana” or the brand names of products the choice, adults would very likely choose to use sold, such as “Spice” or “K2,” that are known to contain marijuana if it were legally available.vii various synthetic cannabinoids.iii The first and most well-known synthetic cannabinoids in laboratory research are known as the JWH Series, but soon after Due to the ongoing prohibition of marijuana, those were banned, newer and less researched emergence of the synthetic cannabinoid market over iv synthetic cannabinoids, such as XLR-11, AB- the last decade has met demand by being a legal or v vi PINACA, and AB-FUBINACA were found in products quasi legal alternative.
    [Show full text]
  • The Forensic Identification of Marijuana: Suspicion, Moral Danger, and the Creation Of
    Title: The Forensic Identification of Marijuana: Suspicion, Moral Danger, and the Creation of Non-Psychoactive THC Author: Aaron Roussell* Running Head: “Marijuana Identification” Abstract: Federal and state laws present marijuana as a dangerous substance requiring coercive control and forbid private citizens from possessing, selling, or growing it. Possession cases brought under these laws depend on a forensic confirmation of taxonomic identity as Cannabis sativa to establish and successfully prosecute a case. Hemp Industries Association v. DEA (2003), a recent federal appeals court ruling, is at odds with this forensic process. American citizens may legally possess and even consume a similar substance — hemp and its derivatives — which can be made into such everyday objects as clothing, rope, and food products. Yet these two plants are both Cannabis sativa and differ only in physical structure and degree of natural tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Synthetic THC is also a medically prescribed substance, which introduces further confusion into the legal standing of cannabis. Finally, *Department of Criminology, Law & Society, University of California, Irvine. Address correspondence to Aaron Roussell, Department of Criminology, Law & Society, University of California, Irvine, Social Ecology II, Irvine, CA 92697; email: [email protected]. 949-943-9860 Thanks to Professors Simon Cole, Justin Richland, Michael Clegg, and Dr. Fred Whitehurst for their direct or indirect contributions and assistance, as well as Akhila Ananth, Vivek Mittal, and Trish Goforth for their help with paper drafts and the editorial staff of the Albany Law Journal of Science and Technology for their superb efforts to improve the final version. Mistakes and weaknesses herein are entirely in spite of their efforts and remain the sole dominion of the author.
    [Show full text]
  • Medical Marijuana the War on Drugs and the Drug Policy Reform Movement
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ FROM THE FRONTLINES TO THE BOTTOM LINE: MEDICAL MARIJUANA THE WAR ON DRUGS AND THE DRUG POLICY REFORM MOVEMENT A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction Of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in SOCIOLOGY by Thomas R. Heddleston June 2012 The Dissertation of Thomas R. Heddleston is approved: ____________________________________ Professor Craig Reinarman, Chair ____________________________________ Professor Andrew Szasz ____________________________________ Professor Barbara Epstein ___________________________________ Tyrus Miller Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Copyright © by Thomas R. Heddleston 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Chapter I: The History, Discourse, and Practice of Punitive Drug Prohibition 38 Chapter II: Three Branches Of Reform, The Drug Policy Reform Movement From 1964 To 2012 91 Chapter III: Sites of Social Movement Activity 149 Chapter IV: The Birth of Medical Marijuana In California 208 Chapter V: A Tale of 3 Cities Medical Marijuana 1997-2011 245 Chapter VI: From Movement to Industry 303 Conclusion 330 List of Supplementary Materials 339 References 340 iii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 2.1: Major Organizations in the Drug Policy Reform Movement by Funding Source and Organizational Form 144 Table 3.1: Characteristics of Hemp Rallies Attended 158 Table 3.2: Drug Policy Organizations and the Internet 197 Figure 4.1: Proposition 215 Vote November 1996 241 Table 5.1: Political Opportunity Structures and Activist Tools 251 Table 5.2: Key Aspects of Political Opportunity Structures at 3 Levels of Government 263 Figure 5.1: Medical Cannabis Dispensaries by Region and State 283 iv ABSTRACT Thomas R. Heddleston From The Frontlines to the Bottom Line: Medical Marijuana the War On Drugs and the Drug Policy Reform Movement The medical marijuana movement began in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1990s in a climate of official repression.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of the Overdose Crisis on the Latino Community in California
    The Impact of the Overdose Crisis on the Latino Community in California March 2021 California has one of the largest Latino1 populations in the US, and they comprise 39% of the state’s population. The Drug Policy Alliance collaborated with independent researchers2 to examine the impact of the overdose crisis on Latinos in California. This factsheet provides a brief overview of overdose trends among Latinos in the United States and compares those to California-specific trends. Policy recommendations are identified that can help address the impact of opioid use and overdose risk within the Latino community. Latino Overdose Trends in the United States While overall overdose deaths are relatively low among Latino communities compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the United States, these rates have increased dramatically in recent years. In 2017, the Latino overall drug overdose rate was roughly half of the national rate (10.6 vs. 21.7 per 100,000), yet this rate increased by 158% from 2014 to 2017.i On a national scale, illicit opioids are driving overdose deaths among Latinos. In 2017, fentanyl was the most commonly involved drug in overdose deaths among Latinos (40.2% of overdose deaths), followed by heroin (31.2%), and cocaine (26.8%).ii Latino Overdose Trends in California Overdose deaths among Latinos are significantly lower in California compared to the Latino national average and are lower than other racial and ethnic groups in the state. However, it is noteworthy that overdose death rates among the Latino community in California have increased significantly in recent years. The opioid-involved overdose death rate for Latinos in California nearly doubled between 2016 and 2019 (2.59 to 5.07 per 100,000).
    [Show full text]
  • Lessons in Taking Drug Policy Reform Local
    LESSONS IN TAKING DRUG POLICY REFORM LOCAL “ As mayors, we know that a shift away from punitive of the decades-long war on drugs and to develop and implement a more responses to drugs is possible. Our two cities, like compassionate, and ultimately, more communities large and small across the country, successful response. bear the burden of a half-century of disastrous drug Unlike “zero tolerance” and ab- policies that have wrought two epidemics: Mass stinence-based approaches, a MDS focuses on significantly reducing incarceration and skyrocketing overdose deaths. As drug-related and enforcement related people elected to serve, we have a moral obligation harms to individuals who use drugs— to do something different, something better.” whether they struggle with addiction or not—as well as to their families and 1 — Mayor Alan Webber, Santa Fe, NM and Mayor Svante Myrick, Ithaca, NY communities as a whole. THE PROBLEM A shift in philosophy is at the core of an MDS. Governments at all levels have traditionally Communities of all sizes across the U.S. are stagger- treated people who use drugs as criminals in need of ing under the weight of half a century of failed federal, punishment, which often leads to violations of their civil state and local drug policies. The war on drugs has cost and human rights. A MDS challenges communities to the nation more than one trillion dollars, exacerbated focus, instead, on mitigating the harm to public health racial injustices, and torn families apart through the and safety caused by problematic drug use and address routine criminalization of communities of color and the the root causes of problematic drug use.
    [Show full text]
  • The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64): Frequently Asked Questions
    The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64): Frequently Asked Questions April 2017 What is Proposition 64? Marijuana may not be consumed in public. However, On November 8th, 2016, California voters passed Prop. 64 allows local jurisdictions to allow for onsite Proposition 64, which authorizes the possession, consumption at licensed marijuana businesses, once transport, purchase, consumption and sharing of up to they are up and running. one ounce of marijuana and up to eight grams of marijuana concentrates for adults aged 21 and older. It How does Prop. 64 protect youth? also allows adults to grow up to six plants at their Prop. 64 prohibits the marketing and advertising of household, out of public view. marijuana to minors, as well as near schools or youth centers. It also establishes strict packaging and While the possession, transport, consumption and labeling standards, including warning labels and child- sharing of marijuana became legal immediately, retail resistant packaging, to keep marijuana products out of sales of nonmedical marijuana will only begin once the the hands of children. state starts issuing licenses in 2018. All marijuana offenses will be treated as infractions for How does Prop. 64 address criminal penalties? minors under the age of 18. They will be sentenced to Prop. 64 eliminates or substantially reduces most free drug education, counseling and/or community criminal penalties for marijuana offenses. service, not jail. Additionally, all records for marijuana offenses will be destroyed when a minor turns 18. People who have prior convictions for marijuana offenses that have been reduced or eliminated by How will the adult use of marijuana be regulated? Prop.
    [Show full text]
  • Principles for Federal Cannabis Regulations & Reform
    Principles for Federal Cannabis Regulations & Reform Federal cannabis regulations should be grounded in the following core principles: DIGNITY PUBLIC HEALTH & EDUCATION People who produce, process, distribute, sell, and Predatory commercialization and marketing should be consume cannabis are deserving of compassion, respect, restricted. People should have access to accurate and opportunity, and inclusion as full members of society, as holistic information related to medical access, harm are medical professionals who counsel, recommend, or reduction, and safe use as well as access to safe, regulated authorize medical cannabis use. products for both medical and personal use. RACIAL JUSTICE MINORS The end of federal cannabis prohibition must focus on Access by minors to cannabis for personal use should undoing the laws, systems, and institutions that were be restricted. Minors should not be subject to targeted designed to oppress, imprison, and dehumanize Black marketing or advertising. They deserve accurate people and target and harm Black, Indigenous, Latinx, information about cannabis. Access to medical cannabis and other communities of color. New laws and regulations under state law programs for minors should be protected. must focus on repairing the harm to individuals, families, Minors should not face criminal sanctions or monetary and communities caused by past and present laws, and to fines for cannabis activity but should instead be offered protect against future harm. intervention, counseling, and other services, as needed. EQUITY JUSTICE REFORM & ELIMINATION OF The laws and policies that replace federal LIFE-LONG CONSEQUENCES cannabis prohibition must not discriminate against, People should not be criminalized, sanctioned, excluded disproportionately impact, oppress, or stigmatize targeted from society, or otherwise punished for cannabis.
    [Show full text]
  • The Obama Administration's Drug Control Policy on Auto-Pilot
    IDPC Briefing Paper The Obama Administration’s drug control policy on auto-pilot Coletta A. Youngers1 April 2011 The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of NGOs and professional networks that specialise in issues related to illicit drug production and use. The Consortium aims to promote objective and open debate on the effectiveness, direction and content of drug policies at national and international level, and supports evidence-based policies that are effective in reducing drug-related harm. It produces occasional briefing papers, disseminates the reports of its member organisations about particular drug-related matters, and offers expert consultancy services to policy makers and officials around the world. n a widely watched You Tube video, and international drug policies. But has the IU.S. President Barack Obama is asked welcome change in tone been matched by a whether or not the drug war may in fact be change in policies? The track record to date counterproductive. Instead of the resounding is disappointing, with far more continuity than NO that would have come from any of his recent change. The Obama administration, apparently predecessors, Obama responded: “I think less fearful of being criticized as “soft on drugs,” this is an entirely legitimate topic for debate.” has ratcheted down the rhetoric and has placed He then qualified his remarks by adding, “I greater emphasis on the problem of demand am not in favor of legalization.”1 Nonetheless, and problematic drug use. Some necessary even acknowledging the legitimacy of debate but modest changes have also taken place with on U.S.
    [Show full text]