In North Carolina, white and Black folks use marijuana at roughly equal rates. Black folks are almost twice as likely to be arrested and convicted.

Multiple polls show that a majority of North Carolinians agree cannabis legalization is the right thing to do. The public broadly understands the moral injustice of the current criminalization, and the potential to create huge tax revenue from growing and taxing it.

This is a complicated policy issue. The current effort in the NC General Assembly to create a medical marijuana program fails some basic tests: It would allow marijuana use for fewer medical conditions than any other state in the country. It would send almost all of the profits to out-of-state corporations. It also does nothing to decriminalize marijuana use, creating a dynamic where a privileged few get to use it as medicine while others go to jail for using it recreationally.

 

Marijuana legalization can help unite Democrats and help us win up and down the ballot. It shows we care about what’s important and are ready to lead on this issue of fairness, justice and freedom for all.

You can help my friend Graig Meyer lead NC on this issue.