After a Delay in September, Justice for Communities Harmed by Prohibition is MORE Urgent than Ever
Washington, D.C. – In response to the House Rules Committee advancing the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment & Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R.3884), which marks the final procedural hurdle cleared before the bill comes to the House floor for a vote this week, Maritza Perez, Director of the Office of National Affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, released the following statement:
“We can finally move forward toward justice. This history-making vote will signify the first time either Congressional chamber has voted to deschedule marijuana. The war on drugs has devastated communities of color for far too long. With this vote, Congress is recognizing the disproportionate impact enforcement has had on our communities and calling for the unjust status quo to be disrupted. We urge House Members to vote yes on this crucial bill.”
DPA has worked tirelessly to move the MORE Act forward since its inception, by working with House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler and Senator Kamala Harris to draft and introduce the legislation, creating the Marijuana Justice Coalition to build widespread support, and pushing for a Judiciary Committee mark-up amid a busy impeachment trial. This collective effort resulted in the MORE Act being passed out of committee in November of last year. In 2020, DPA has consistently educated legislators on the inequalities created by marijuana prohibition, which have exacerbated this moment’s intersecting health and racial injustice crises.
The Senate companion bill, S.2227, was introduced by then-Senator Kamala Harris last year and has attracted notable co-sponsors, including Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
