An employee holds a jar of marijuana for sale after it becomes legal in the state to sell recreational marijuana to customers over the age of 21 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Illinois will begin legal marijuana sales on January 1, 2020.
Matthew Hatcher | Reuters
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and two other Democratic senators said on Monday they will push for the passage of this year’s sweeping legislation that would end the federal marijuana ban, which has been legalized to some extent by many states.
That reform would also provide so-called restorative justice for people convicted of cannabis crimes, senators said in a joint statement.
“The War on Drugs has been a war against people – especially against people of color,” said a statement by New York-based Schumer and Sens. Cory Booker from New Jersey and Ron Wyden from Oregon.
“Ending the federal ban on marijuana is necessary to rectify the injustice of this failed war and end decades of damage done to communities of color across the country,” they said.
“But that alone is not enough. As states continue to legalize marijuana, we also need to take steps to eliminate people who were falsely targeted in the War on Drugs.”
Senators said they will publish “a draft unified discussion on comprehensive reforms” early this year and that passing the legislation will be a priority for the Senate.
The trio also said that, in addition to ending the federal ban on cannabis products and ensuring restorative justice, the legislation “would protect public health and implement responsible taxes and regulations.”
Schumer co-sponsored marijuana decriminalization laws several years ago.
The explanation comes because public support for legal marijuana has increased. A Gallup poll in November found that 68% of Americans, a record high, were in favor of legalizing marijuana.
Any initiative relating to the decriminalization or legalization of marijuana on the 2020 ballot was passed.
Voters in New Jersey and Arizona chose to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use. Mississippi voted to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana, and South Dakota legalized the drug for both recreational and medical use.
So far, 15 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use by adults, and 36 states allow medical use of the drug.
Oregon is the first to decriminalize hard drugs.