Legalize Marijuana

BRIEF
Marijuana is still considered a controlled substance by federal law. Thousands are in jail for marijuana-related offenses, particularly people of color.

Yet marijuana is now legal for adult use in 9 states, and 29 states have legalized medical marijuana in some form.

We need to resolve the ambiguity and legalize marijuana at the federal level. This would improve safety, social equity, and generate tens of billions of dollars in new revenue based on legal cannabis businesses.

I don’t love marijuana. I’d rather people not use it heavily. But it’s vastly safer than people becoming addicted to opiates like heroin. And our criminalization of it seems stupid and racist, particularly now that it’s legal in some states. We should proceed with full legalization of marijuana and pardon those in jail for non-violent marijuana-related offenses. It’s a safer, less addictive means to manage pain for many Americans.

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED

 * Thousands of Americans, many of them minorities, are in jail for non-violent marijuana-related offenses even as it is now legal in 9 states.
 * Federal treatment of marijuana is unclear as it remains a controlled substance under the law
 * Unregulated marijuana leads to safety issues and lack of oversight

Goals

 * Provide justice and equity for those convicted of marijuana use and possession
 * Provide regulation and oversight of the marijuana industry
 * Generate revenue

Guiding Principles

 * Equity
 * Justice
 * Health

As President, I will…

 * Support the full legalization of marijuana at the federal level and remove it from the controlled substances list.
 * Expunge the federal convictions of all marijuana-related use or possession offenses.
 * Identify non-violent drug offenders for probation and potential early release.