John,
I hope this message finds you well and in high spirits.
I wanted to reach out personally and share why I am excited about the landmark recommendation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for the rescheduling of cannabis.
As a disabled Army veteran, a small business owner, a member of the Virginia NORML Board of Directors, and a dedicated advocate for change, I see this topic on multiple levels but, what has remained constant for me is the urgently needed mission to reform cannabis and industrial hemp regulations.
For too long, the War on Drugs has been a disgraceful failure.
It has and currently is wasting precious resources, needlessly imprisoning countless individuals and tearing apart communities, many of them being communities of color, across the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia. This misguided approach has cost us billions of dollars that could have been better used to address more pressing concerns.
I firmly believe that it's time for a change. I'm committed to continuing to fight for rescheduling as well as the implementation of commonsense regulations that would govern adult cannabis use and cultivation and harvest of industrial hemp.
Here's why this is so crucial:
Economic Prosperity: By removing barriers to cannabis and industrial hemp, we can create new job opportunities and stimulate our economy. The cannabis industry has already proven its potential to drive economic growth.
Resource Reallocation: Shifting our focus away from prosecuting non-violent cannabis offenses will enable us to redirect millions of dollars in law enforcement resources toward more pressing matters, ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities.
Rescheduling cannabis also highlights that it will bring many benefits, including creating further opportunities for medical marijuana research. This is a crucial step in advancing our understanding of cannabis's potential benefits for a wide range of conditions from Alzheimer's disease to PTSD and severe nausea and pain caused by cancer treatment.
It's a fact that in states with fully regulated adult use, the use of opioids is markedly lower and as we as a country continue to deal with the opioid crisis, this underscores the need for immediate action and reform.
I need your support to make this vision a reality. Your contribution, whether big or small, can make a tremendous difference in my campaign's ability to spread our message and drive meaningful change in Virginia.
