Officials in the United States should do all they can to free Griner, but just as important, end the hypocrisy of acting repulsed by her sentencing while maintaining marijuana criminalization at home by bringing our domestic marijuana policies in line with our nation’s stated principles of liberty and justice.
Advocates on behalf of the ballot measure are now anticipated to take the matter before the state Supreme Court.
“Saddling people with the lifelong collateral consequences of even a low-level marijuana arrest or conviction is unjust and provides no legitimate benefit to society. Facilitating the expungement of minor federal marijuana offenses is a necessary step that will allow impacted people to reach their full potential.”
“These are common sense reforms provide further and sorely needed protections and freedoms for patients and others. Lawmakers are to be commended for putting politics aside and taking these important steps forward.”
Two-hundred and sixteen Democrats voted in support of the bill, as did 109 Republicans.
The effort’s campaign manager said that they are working with local officials to double check their voter counts and identify any potential errors, and he said that the campaign remains confident they will ultimately qualify for the ballot.
The Act provides the office of the US Attorney General with a 60-day timeline to either approve or deny the applications from scientists wishing to engage in clinical trials involving the use of cannabis by human subjects.
“Suspicionless workplace drug testing policies for cannabis are relics of the failed ‘war on drugs’ policies of the 1980s and it is time that we move beyond them.”