Two congresswomen are reintroducing soon a bill that would decriminalize federally all illicit drugs currently in use and facilitate mass expulsions.
On Saturday, the 52nd anniversary since President Richard Nixon declared a war against drugs, Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Cori Bush announced that they would again file the Drug Policy Reform Act.
The bill was first introduced by in 2021. The bill was not passed, but it was the first to be introduced in Congress to end drug criminalization. It also took a public-health approach rather than a criminal justice one to substance abuse.
In a statement, the lawmakers stated that “52 years ago President Richard Nixon launched a violent and racist campaign against Blacks and Browns in this country.” “From the beginning, the War on Drugs was about suppressing voices and lives, not health or safety, of marginalized people.”
#OTD 52 y.o. Nixon declared the “war on drugs.” It was never about health or safety but about suppressing the voices and lives of the marginalized.@RepCori and I will be reintroducing the Drug Policy Reform Act to end the W.O.D. and treat people with a health centered approach https://t.co/S31o18P8TV
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman June 17th, 2023
They said: “Unfortunately, today our society perpetuates the discredited War on Drugs.” Over a million people have been arrested for drug-related offenses every year. Overdose deaths and substance abuse disorders continue to be shockingly high.
The measure, as filed in the last session, proposed that people who are caught with drugs for personal consumption would no longer face the threat of imprisonment. The courts would still be able to impose a fine but could waive it if the person was unable to pay.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would be responsible for classifying medications, rather than the Justice Department. This legislation aims to move the classification of drugs to a more health-centric model.
Within one year after the bill was passed, federal district courts were required to expedite expungements for anyone with a qualifying conviction.
The congresswomen stated that “admitting mistakes can be difficult, but there are lives at stake.” It’s time to acknowledge the substance abuse crisis as a health issue, and provide structural solutions that are rooted in equity. We are therefore proud to announce the reintroduction of the Drug Policy Reform Act.
#OTD President Nixon launched a violent campaign 52 years ago against Black and Brown communities, known as the War on Drugs. RepBonnie I am proud to reintroduce soon the Drug Policy Reform Act, which will decriminalize possession of drugs, expunge record, & end the War on Drugs.
— Congresswoman Cori (@RepCori). June 17, 2020
added. “We must transform the federal drug policy to protect Black and Brown communities and save lives.”
Approximately 45 percent of federal prisoners are currently serving time for drug-related crimes. A much smaller portion of those sentences is only for possession. The direct impact of decriminalization on the incarceration rate would therefore be minimal, especially when considering the size of the state prison populations.
The bill will also withhold federal funding for law enforcement, through the Byrne COPS grant program, from states and cities who continue to criminalize simple drug possession. The bill is based on the idea that the threat of losing federal funds could be enough to encourage states and municipalities not to lock people up for drug possession.
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Given the challenges of enacting even modest cannabis legislation in Congress, it seems unlikely that the broader decriminalization measure will advance under a Republican-controlled House. The filing aims to focus attention on the racism and long-term effects of the drug warfare.
There is no indication of when the bill will formally be filed, or if any provisions will change from the version passed by Congress last year. Marijuana Moment contacted the offices of sponsors for clarification but no one was available.
More than a dozen Democratic members of Congress have recently introduced a resolution that recognizes the “moral obligation” for the United States to fulfill its promise to guarantee justice to all, in part through legalizing pot and overdose prevention websites, as well as expunging records related to drug use.
In April, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) did say that he plans to reintroduce a comprehensive measure to end federal prohibition. Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (DNY) said in April he planned to introduce a comprehensive measure that would end federal prohibition. However, the expectation is that under a divided Congress only incremental reforms like a bipartisan Cannabis Banking Bill–perhaps adding expungements or other incremental reforms to the bill–will have a chance to pass.
The House also unanimously passed a resolution that expresses support for Americans imprisoned in Russia, including a U.S. Citizen who is currently serving a 14 year sentence due to possession of medical marijuana he legally obtained in Pennsylvania.
A GOP Senator Backs Marijuana Banking Bill But Doubts Democratic Leaders Will Advance It
The post Congressional Bill to Decriminalize all Drugs Will be Refiled Soon – Sponsors Announce on Drug War Anniversary first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
