Sign the petition telling the Department of Justice to let states regulate marijuana

medical marijuana helps all these patients

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing an assault on states that have legalized recreational marijuana. That means people who grow, sell, and use cannabis in states where it’s perfectly legal to do so could have their lives ruined by arrest, confiscation of their property, and prosecution. But the tide is turning, and more Americans support legalized cannabis than ever before.(1) Twenty-nine states have legalized medical marijuana, and nine have legalized its recreational use. Fifty-four members of Congress from both parties just sent a letter to President Trump asking him to overrule the DOJ’s decision.(2) If enough of us speak out along with the growing chorus of elected officials who support legalization, we can force Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end his crusade against marijuana. That’s why we’ve joined a broad coalition of organizations and elected officials to tell Sessions that the people have spoken: states should decide how to regulate marijuana. Will you join us? Sign the petition telling the Department of Justice to let states regulate marijuana. Sessions just repealed an Obama-era rule that directed the DOJ not to prosecute cannabis growers, sellers, and users in states that have legalized recreational marijuana. Now federal prosecutors can resume their failed War on Drugs. It’s not 1960 anymore. Decades of evidence show that cannabis is relatively safe, yet federal law treats it the same way it treats heroin -- as a dangerous drug of abuse. That’s why on top of the 29 states that have legalized it medicinally -- 9 of which have legalized it for recreational use as well -- 13 have decriminalized marijuana in attempt to reduce our prison population, which is the largest in the world thanks to the War on Drugs, which has disproportionately targeted communities of color.(3) Americans’ attitude towards cannabis has profoundly changed. For the first time ever, even a majority of Republican voters support legalization. All told, 61% of Americans support legalization and 71% oppose the administration trying to stop state regulation.(4) That support is beginning to extend to politicians. In direct response to Sessions’ announcement, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) has vowed to block DOJ nominees unless Sessions rescinds his decision, while Representative Tom Garrett (R-VA) is sponsoring a bill to remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances.(5) And 54 members of Congress from both parties have signed a letter urging Donald Trump -- who promised to leave marijuana alone while on the campaign trail -- to rein Sessions in. We’re at a critical juncture. Backing up the growing number of politicians and business interests with demonstrable public support could stop Sessions in his tracks. Will you sign the petition and lend your voice to the growing chorus of people who demand legalization? Yes, I'll sign the petition demanding the DOJ let states regulate marijuana! - the Courage team Footnotes: 1. http://news.gallup.com/poll/221018/record-high-support-legalizing-marijuana.aspx & https://www.cbsnews.com/news/support-for-marijuana-legalization-at-all-time-high/ 2. http://www.newsweek.com/members-congress-marijuana-791086 3. http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison-population-total & http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html 4. Refer to note 1. 5. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/pot-showdown-congress-uniting-to-stop-sessions-war-on-drugs-w515595

Deadline to protect medical marijuana from Sessions

In less than a month, Jeff Sessions’ Justice Department could have free reign to wreak havoc in medical marijuana states – unless we take a stand.

Tell your U.S. Representative to renew the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment and protect medical marijuana from federal attacks.

Every year since 2014, advocates like you helped pass a spending amendment blocking the Justice Department from interfering in medical marijuana states. We passed it in the Senate Appropriations Committee again this year – but unless the amendment is included in the final appropriations bill it will expire on December 8th.

Sessions recently sent a letter to Congress demanding that members not renew it.

The Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment bans the Department of Justice from using money to interfere in the 46 states that have passed some form of medical marijuana law. It means patients and their caregivers will not have to live in fear of arrest and prosecution for simply using a medicine that is legal in their state.

But with Sessions escalating the war on drugs and the December 8 expiration approaching, it’s absolutely critical to ensure Congress continues to protect medical marijuana in states that have legalized it.

Your Representative will decide the fate of this crucial amendment. Contact your Member of Congress to help protect medical marijuana from the threat of federal harassment and prosecution.

Time is running out to convince Congress to preserve these protections.

Please stand with us to safeguard our victories and protect patients who are simply using a medicine that relieves their suffering.

- Grant Smith, Drug Policy Alliance

Tell your Representatives to vote in favor of the amendments that would stop Sessions from expanding drug war forfeiture - policing for profit!

 

Tonight the U.S. House will vote on crucial amendments that would help stop the expansion of civil forfeiture that was recently announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

This corrupt practice – also known as “policing for profit” – allows police to seize and keep cash, property, and other assets from people who are merely suspected of being involved in a drug law violation.

It’s time to fight back. Tell your Representatives to vote in favor of the amendments that would stop Sessions from expanding drug war forfeiture.

Earlier this year, Sessions announced a new policy directing law enforcement agencies to increase the use of civil forfeiture. This unfair practice is a shameful relic of drug war hysteria and has been used to take billions of dollars from people who were not convicted of a crime.

And like other drug war programs, it’s disproportionately used against people of color and those who cannot afford to hire lawyers to get their property back.

Now we need your help to convince the House to stop Sessions from giving law enforcement agencies even more power to take innocent people’s property and run.

Send an email to your Representatives right now. And follow-up with phone calls to your Representatives. Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected with their offices. You can say:

As a constituent, I’m calling to urge my Representative to vote in favor of civil forfeiture amendments to H.R. 3354 that is being voted on today. Please vote yes on amendments Walberg/Cohen #46, Raskin/Sensenbrenner #67, and Amash/Sanford #70. These amendments would help stop the expansion of civil forfeiture and ensure that innocent property owners are protected. Please vote in favor of these amendments because civil forfeiture is an unfair practice that should not be expanded. Thank you.

- Grant Smith, Drug Policy Alliance


If you have time also contact Rep. McSally by phone, fax or e-mail.

Tucson Office:
Phone: (520) 881-3588
Fax: (520) 322-9490


Washington office:
Phone: (202) 225-2542
Fax: (202) 225-0378

https://mcsally.house.gov/contact

Add your name to tell Jeff Sessions he’s wrong about the War on Drugs

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is spouting rhetoric and promoting policies that we’ve been working hard to put in the past. With near-consensus that the War on Drugs was a failure on all levels, the country is ready to move to smart and commonsense reforms to our broken criminal justice system.

Except for one man: our top law enforcement official, Jeff Sessions.

Sessions has reversed an important charging policy that instructed prosecutors to avoid getting caught in the stranglehold of mandatory minimum sentencing. Mandatory minimums are widely understood as racist, destructive to families and communities, and fundamentally unfair. So why is our attorney general actively undoing policy in order to encourage the harshest possible punishments?

Jeff Sessions has a history of endorsing ineffective policies and positions based on political rhetoric. He wants to put as many people as possible behind bars. And not just anyone – the War on Drugs policies Sessions is rolling out target and harm Black and Brown people and communities.

This has to end. We need smart criminal justice reforms – not regressive, recycled policies. Add your name now to tell Jeff Sessions that no matter what he says, the War on Drugs must end.

Add your name to tell Jeff Sessions he’s wrong about the War on Drugs.  

- ACLU Action