We Rise to Legalize

Tuesday March 30, 2021
From the Desk of the Executive Director

New York, NY. The proposed Cannabis Reform plan, in its current form, is not good for New York and sets a bad precedent as a national model. It misses the mark.
The bill has:
(1) NO provisions to expand the current medical cannabis program leaving systemic healthcare inequality negatively impacting Black and Brown communities;
(2) NO mandated damage assessment to research, record, and assess the overall injury the War on Drugs caused on New Yorkers;

(3) NO State funded reparative justice commitment to compensate injured individuals and communities;

(4) NO appointed Community Council and/or statutorily designated community representative to offer community input in administering the program.

This year marks the 50th year anniversary of the US declaring a War on Black and Brown Americans. We Rise to Legalize and its community partners are calling on President Joe Biden to finally end the War on Drugs and set a national standard for state reform.

The proposed plan offers no community voice negotiating the interests of unfairly targeted Black and Brown Americans by state actors. Many past bad actors are now attempting to negotiate the interests of the community. The conflicts of interest are clear yet our elected leaders are still attempting to impose the will of corporate interests on the community. This is not a community supported bill.

*****nalegalization