Tell Congress: Stop the unjust War on Drugs - Pass the Marijuana Justice Act

Female prison population is nearly eight times higher than in 1980 due to non-violent drug convictions

Big news for drug policy reform: After California legalized recreational marijuana use, San Francisco followed suit by clearing thousands of marijuana convictions dating back 40 years. This is a step in the right direction – now people won’t be held for crimes that are no longer crimes. 

The outdated policies of the War on Drugs have done little but waste federal resources and harm lives forever. But while some of us are fighting back, others – like Attorney General Jeff Sessions – are doggedly pursuing the same failed policies. His vendetta against marijuana and people who use it goes against public opinion and completely disregards the human consequences of these unjust laws. 

But we can stop him. There’s a new bill in Congress to legalize marijuana under federal law – and remedy some of the injustices of the War on Drugs. We need your help to make sure it becomes law.

Tell your members of Congress to support the Marijuana Justice Act and reform our broken criminal justice system.

How do we know that reform is needed? The data says it all. In 2013 we found that Black people are almost four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession even though Black and white people use marijuana at comparable rates.

What’s more, 64 percent of Americans approve of legalizing marijuana. But Jeff Sessions' policies go against the will of the people.

Let's tell Congress to pass the Marijuana Justice Act NOW to promote equitable and proportional justice. Antiquated and out-of-touch drug laws – like Sessions’ marijuana policies – have got to go.

-Jesselyn McCurdy
ACLU Deputy Legislative Director, fighting for criminal justice reform

*Note from Desktop Activist:  In addition to the injustices towards black people, there has been a profound change in the involvement of women within the criminal justice system over the past quarter century. This is the result of more expansive law enforcement efforts, stiffer drug sentencing laws, and post-conviction barriers to reentry that uniquely affect women. Women now comprise a larger proportion of the prison population than ever before; the female prison population stands nearly eight times higher than its population count in 1980. More than 60% of women in state prisons have a child under the age of 18. - the Sentencing Project

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

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