Rep. Payne, Jr. Votes to Decriminalize Marijuana

Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. voted for the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act today. The bill (H.R. 3884) would decriminalize marijuana nationwide, require federal courts to delete prior marijuana convictions for Americans, and save taxpayers at least $3.6 billion per year.

“This bill is long overdue,” said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. “There are too many Black and Latino men languishing in prison for offenses that are now legal in most states. This bill would right the social and legal wrongs that put them there. In addition, marijuana has been found to help with a variety of medical conditions and even can bring relief to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am proud to support this bill and hope the Senate passes it soon.”

The bill would reverse a drug law that has existed since 1937. Since then, dozens of medical studies have shown that marijuana has significant health benefits when taken in controlled quantities, such as post-surgery and chronic pain relief. In addition, marijuana drug enforcement arrests more minorities and subjects them to longer prison sentences than white offenders for the same crimes. Studies have shown that Blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession and Latinos are almost seven times more likely to receive a federal sentence for it than their white counterparts. Currently, 47 out of the 50 U.S. states have reclassified marijuana and many states have made small amounts legal for recreational use.

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Kamala Harris calls for legalized marijuana nationwide

Kamala Harris has called for the national legalization of marijuana. Read her campaign's statement on the issue below:

Two out of three Americans believe that marijuana should be legal, and this sentiment only grows stronger by the year. With rising support for legalization, it’s clear we need to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. It’s the smart thing to do.

More states are moving to legalize marijuana through ballot initiatives and bills in state legislatures, but it is not enough. This isn’t just a matter of combating outdated and unpopular marijuana laws. It’s a matter of repairing our communities, system, and country.

It’s past time that we ALL address the harrowing issue of mass incarceration in our country -- and that starts with marijuana legalization and restorative justice programs in our damaged criminal justice system.

Our system continues to target and imprison young Black and Latin Americans for low-level, nonviolent drug offenses at high levels. Too many lives and communities have been ruined by regressive policies. This needs to be rectified with a pathway to legalization at the federal level.

Here’s what our fight looks like:

Introduce and pass legislation to legalize marijuana nationwide.

Expunge nonviolent marijuana-related offenses from the records of millions of people who have been arrested and incarcerated.

Create national programs to address addiction treatment and reentry for all formerly incarcerated Americans.

Kamala is a firm believer that we can no longer repeat the same mistakes from our past if we’re going to build a country that works for everyone. That’s the foundation of our campaign. We cannot claim decency, freedom, justice, and equality as our values without reforming this broken system.