New Jersey Senator Corey Booker introduced some legislation today that would not only make cannabis legal on a federal level, but also ensure that money is funneled into the inner-cities.
Per KOCO
A bill fully legalizing marijuana was announced Tuesday by Sen. Cory Booker, a measure that butts heads with a Department of Justice that is gearing up a crackdown on users of the drug.
The New Jersey Democrat introduced the “Marijuana Justice Act” over a Facebook Live stream. The bill legalizes marijuana on the federal level, allows people in prison for marijuana-related crimes to be re-sentenced and automatically expunge federal marijuana use and possession crimes, according to NorthJersey.com.
For decades, the failed War on Drugs has locked up millions of nonviolent drug offenders — especially for marijuana-related offenses — at an incredible cost of lost human potential, torn apart families and communities, and taxpayer dollars,” Booker said in the Facebook post. “The effects of the drug war have had a disproportionately devastating impact on Americans of color and the poor.
“This is the right thing to do for public safety, and will help reduce our overflowing prison population.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has come out strongly against marijuana, rolling back Obama-era rules easing punishments for offenders, and the bill has a small chance of passing the GOP-controlled Congress.
Eight states and the District of Columbia already allow recreational use of marijuana, and 29 states allow medical marijuana use.
An April poll from Quinnipiac found 60 percent of voters support legalization of marijuana.