Senator Kamala Harris Cosponsors The Marijuana Justice Act

Today, California’s junior Senator Kamala Harris announced in a video message that she will be joining Senators Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Ron Wyden on the Marijuana Justice Act.

This comes just a week and a half after California senior Senator Diane Feinstein told reporters that she has dropped her opposition to ending the federal prohibition of marijuana, however, did not elaborate on how to do so.

The Marijuana Justice Act (S. 1689 and HR 4815) would (1) remove marijuana from the US Controlled Substances Act, thereby ending the federal criminalization of cannabis; (2) incentivize states to mitigate existing and ongoing racial disparities in state-level marijuana arrests; (3) expunge federal convictions specific to marijuana possession; (4) allow individuals currently serving time in federal prison for marijuana-related violations to petition the court for resentencing; (5) and create a community reinvestment fund to invest in communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs.

Senator Harris has come a long way on her position of this issue, most known for her response to a question in 2014 on legalizing marijuana when she laughed in the face of a reporter at the thought.

Journalist Tom Angell noted last year that Senator Harris would oddly talk about the drug war in the past-tense when making public statements or on social media. By co-sponsoring the Marijuana Justice Act, she is making it crystal clear that the Drug War rages on and that it is the responsibility of the Congress to do something about it.

Have your federal officials co-sponsored the Marijuana Justice Act? Have you asked them to? Click here to send a message right now. 

58 thoughts

  1. Big Salute to Kamala Harris!

    It is my sincere hope that she becomes our nation’s next president 🙂

    I would just love to have her replace the orange trumpty-dumpty…

    Reply

    1. Miles, I would support Kamala Harris, or Elizabeth Warren for President. Let them establish their platforms for a primary, and then let the best woman win!

      I am an old white man, and I am sick of old white men myself! Sick of racism, sexism, and international, nuclear weapons pissing matches and dick size contests. It is frankly embarrassing, not to mention, will extinct the entire species.)

      These two women have more balls than all the Republicans combined.

      Reply

      1. Yes! I agree 100% that Elizabeth Warren is someone I would definately vote for.

        I pray to the Gods that Trump’s reign of terror and idiocy ends soon…

      2. Trump’s reign of terror? Hilarious. You must miss Barry the bath house Ho and Mic the dic aka pudding packer.

      3. Tom,
        We miss President Obama very much. Those were the days when America was great, or at least, trying.

        Now with that ass-clown Traitor Trump shitting in the Oval Office, America is shamed.

        Fuck that white-cracker shit for brains traitor and fuck the Republicans who put him there.

        Fuck you too, Tom.

      4. I notice the Trumpsters can never be magnanimous in victory. They are vindictive little twits that behave like sore winners.

      5. Someone who only recently found out that marijuana ought to be legal is not progressive at all, and in all likelihood is behind the times on other issues as well. Just because she finally flip flopped for her own political gain does not qualify her to be President. I am on with a North Korea that is willing to denuclearize, and I am ok with withdrawing from a bad Iran deal that leaves Europe still in…now if I ran screws up it will be the EU against them, and we would certainly join with them in defeating the oppressive regime in Tehran. Not to mention that Trump has agreed to support a measure that would treat marijuana as a states’ rights issue. But it is incredibly foolish to base support or lack thereof of a Presidential candidate only on marijuana. There are far more important issues, like foreign policy and ending the cycle of career politicians, which we ought to be concerned with.

      7. Not when it is my ass on the line, crazy Neocon!

        Everything you have said about Trump’s “just bomb something” foreign policy makes it that much more critical to dump Traitor Trump, and elect a sane woman. Dump the grabber, keep the pussy, so to speak.

      8. HaMa,

        So, let me get this straight. You’d rather some MJ purists arrive on the scene before you could possibly support them? And we should listen to your opinion because . . . ?

        Regarding the Iranian situation, I see you’ve completely bought into all the bullshit. This Iranian situation is starting to look an awful lot like the situation before we invaded Iraq. And that turned out so well, didn’t it.

        Once again the hysteria: We better get them before they GET US!!! Are we gonna wait until LA goes up in a mushroom cloud? Oh the humanity!!

        You mentioned the Europeans, but, the ones who are actually nearer to Iran than us, for forget to mention that they want Trump to leave the friggin’ treaty alone. Why do you think that is? You think maybe their media isn’t following the same pattern as our corporate media; you know, the media that cheer led us into the Iraq war?

        Once again the drums of war are being sounded by the Neo-Cons and their media pals. The Iraq war cost us $3 Trillion. How much will an Iran war cost?

        Iran has 2-1/2 times the population of Iraq.
        Iran is 3-1/2 times the size of Iraq.

        Iraq is primarily flat desert terrain–perfect for armor and air warfare.

        Iran is primarily mountainous, which is hell for armor warfare and barely better for air warfare.

        I wonder how much an Iran war will cost? 5 Trillion? 8 Trillion?

        We have a crumbling infrastructure in OUR country, bridges on the verge of collapse, roads in terrible shape. And we have rapidly shrinking middle class and homeless scattered all over our country. And you wanna spend trillions and trillions of US taxpayer money on another middle east war? What the hell is wrong with you?

      9. Are you sure you are on the right website? Nobody here gives a $#!+ about your warmongering ties to Israel against Iran. We’re trying to legalize marijuana… something that Israel should have done a long @$$ time ago considering how many decades of research Dr. Rafael Mechoulam put into his ties to the N.I.D.A. that provided him the marijuana he worked on. So much for the “entourage effect.” Anyone listening to your propaganda would have thought Rafael was talking about a harem.

      11. I agree that there are more important reasons to vote for a particular candidate than their cannabis ideology. However, that said, as long as a candidate is reasonable on other issues and supports cannabis legalization for adults, then that candidate will get my vote.

        I like (very much) that Kamala Harris is coming out in favor of legalization while she is still in office!!! Just think of how many cowardly senators, congressmen, governors and more have come out in favor, or claim their thinking has evolved, after they are no longer in a position of power to do much about it…

        Seriously, I am close to 100% sure that even Mitch McConnell would evolve on the issue once he is no longer in his current position and a cannabis related company offered him a huge salary. That’s the way these sleazebags work and yes, it’s totally disgusting!

        I think the only reason that Kevin Sabet isn’t evolving is because he is banking on it staying illegal so that he can profit from drug testing and interventions to save people from the terrible addiction of marijuana; yeah right… Seriously, he’s just a greedy asshole who (I don’t think) doesn’t really care about the people he claims he want to help. Again, it’s all about where money is coming from. This is not what America is supposed to be about.

        So, Kamala Harris or Elizabeth Warren would get my vote in a heartbeat given the chance 🙂

      12. If you feel that marijuana legalization is not a priority, then what the hell are doing on this site?

      13. this website should find room for conservatives and libertarians. This is about a common goal. With both parties having blame. If you dont think it makes sense for us to be here than i recommend researching libertarians which is the heart and future of the GOP.

      14. Adam: the school system failed you miserably. Your reading comprehension is atrocious. Maybe you should start with something simple to read like “Dick and Jane” books. Maybe then you can work your way up to “Curious George”. Reading is FUNdamental. Good luck.

  2. Thank you, Kamala!

    Let’s get some agitprop going to give us a push over the July legalization hump. CNN’s Weed 4 can’t be all there is.

    Here’s a new comedy show character, or maybe a reality show character. You got someone dressed up all medieval interviewing these prohibitionists. Something like Monty Python. An atavism interviewing someone from the present to expose how archaic their views really are.

    Reply

    2. Geez, Oracle,

      Your comedy show seems like it’s based on the modern day GOP. Medieval, Prohibition, Archaic. Yep. Let’s call it, “Make Prohibition Great Again.”

      Reply

    3. “Is that a rotten cabbage?!”
      “Why no, it’s marijuana.”
      “Then I believe we are at peace, my friend.”

      Reply

      1. “I do find that marijuana works wonders for the typical aches and pains that come after a long session on The Rack.”

  3. The wall of shame called prohibition is finally crumbling into the dustbin of history after so many lost decades, after so much misguided harm.

    Federal, State and Local, each of our elected Officials can decide. This one or that one might tragically prefer to rule tyrannically over a great people, yet I expect that most of our seated Officials either have already or will soon rise to the imperative of history with the realization of such government that is of the people and that is by the people. Increasingly larger majorities of Americans want the civil liberties of our 60 million or so cannabis users restored.

    And blessedly, if you are in government and if you take a hand in dismantling cannabis prohibition, then you are the real life embodiment of Government this is For the People.

    Reply

  4. The Marijuana Justice Act is a poison-pill fraud and a poorly drafted joke. It is the one piece of cannabis reform legislation that has no chance of passing because it thumbs its nose at federalism and states rights. Its supporters want to appear to be in favor of marijuana legalization, but won’t support any bill that Trump would sign. The role of NORML and cannabis journalists in promoting this crap is a disgrace.

    Reply

    1. William,
      Given the option, we will take the legislation, and get rid of Trump. Works for me!

      Reply

  5. How Kamala D. Harris start talk about legalize marijuana when She put me on 4 years to State Prison and 6 months county Jail for sale 3.5 (Three and half Gramm of marijuana) from legal dispensary on 10.28.2013 and I am right now email to senator and planning to lawsuit all of State Of California Agency about didcrimination. 3 time denied by Superior court, 2 time denied by 2nb. Appeal Court and 1 time by Supreme court and right now Appeal Court discriminated me under Proposition 64 Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Kamala D. Harris and State of California Agency Violate 4th. And 14th Amendments and go to Senator? It is the Open Mail and You feel free to use this right and true informations, based on Facts and Evidence. I have several coupes from Kamala D. Harris from 2014 where She Attorney General of California Violated Civil Rights in my case. Thank you Arsen Manson phone 818.221.5888

    Reply

    1. Arsen,
      I can’t tell if your syntax is from the 5th ward in D.C. or a troll farm in Moscow. That’s pretty fu{ked up isn’t it?

      Reply

      1. Hard to tell. This might be real. People are still getting fucked, even in legal states. We have our loopholes, and they have theirs. Injustices continue to occur.

        Nevertheless, we applaud Kamala Harris for the worthy position she has taken.

      2. You could be right Julian. That post was not written by someone who has a good grasp of the english language. So, that makes me very skeptical of it!

        Not that I would want to quote Trump very often but that seems like “a made-up story” 🙂

  6. I gladly sent the letter to my 3 politicos. It’s refreshing that this bill and others refer to the drug war as a failure–because it is!

    Reply

  9. The Democrats stand for marijuana legalization.
    The Republicans stand for marijuana prohibition.

    The choice is clear.

    Reply

      1. Jrs, you are free to disagree, but you haven’t backed up your position with facts or evidence or reasoning. I have backed up what I have said with facts.

        Issues are complex, but voting is binary — black or white, literally: is the oval filled in black to signify an affirmative vote, or not?

        I have given the complex matters surrounding marijuana and its prohibition a lifetime of deep thought. That doesn’t necessarily make me right, of course; but it gives me the confidence to state my view with conviction: NOW is the time for all left and progressive political forces to unite against fascist tyranny, and to use the Democratic Party to defeat Traitor Trump and his treasonous Republicans!

    1. quite possibly, Julian, let’s hope so! lol at the sheep at the Indy trump rally last night (“uh TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP” Samoa Joe music plays). Old man Grassley, Christie, Sembler, Bennett, turtle McConnell, both Sessions, Rick Jones here in MI, Sabet…..the old dinosaur list goes on….Joe Peters today on Faux and Failures. Shame also ab. the 7th Circuit Court seat. Ryan Zinke snake answers. keeping up the fight, though.

      Reply

      1. they call us the recreational-industrial complex, lol. Was watching on MSNBC on Rudy, past and present. I will have more to say on him soon…..9/11 stuff, past activism. Iam glad he is not A.G., though. He does not seem to like marijuana!

      2. Matt,
        I would share in your laughter, except for something I discovered in Advanced Placement Government class in School-High, back in D.C.; WE are the cause of our own government depending on what WE PURCHASE.
        We can choose to purchase prescription meds. Or we can manage our pain with fairly taxed state legalized marijuana. That’s a choice. And only after consuming marijuana do many of us question questionable authority. Those that retain their doctor’s advice without research and their private insurance without compensation may be in for a long ride to Trumpville.

    2. they call us the recreational-industrial complex, lol, and, yeah, on msnbc today, talking about Rudy, past and present. I have more to say about Guliani soon. 9/11 stuff, etc. And glad he is not A.G. He does not seem to like marijuana.

      Reply

  12. Just read about….great job! She and Booker are awesome, working toward a better future! GO Senator Harris!

    Reply

  14. Great job it is time for a change it will make the economy amazing again everybody will have a job again we need this so bad

    Reply

  18. Actually there are republicans that support legalization! Rand Paul has for years! There are others! I get sick of the republican bashing by my fellow lovers of the sacred herb. Legalization is a freedom issue, why does it have to be so liberal on here? Americans of all faiths colors and political beliefs love cannabis! MAGA must include cannabis.

    Reply

    1. Wayne53,
      Nope. There are facts involved here, Son. Facts all over the place. And facts are not your strength. You know that. So don’t even try. Just shut the fuck up, sit the fuck down, and go back to your happy place.

      We Democrats will take our country back from Putin, and legalize marijuana, too; you Republicans sure as hell won’t do either one.

      Reply

    2. Then go back to Breitbart if you feel that way about liberals. Strangely, I notice illiberal leaders like Trump, Duterte, Orban and Erdogan whine about liberals all the time just like you. What is about being a liberal that triggers you and your ilk?

      Reply

  20. Senator Harris, if you want my vote, cosponsor the Hemp Bill. Why haven’t you already?

    Reply

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