John,

Running for President, Joe Biden promised to decriminalize marijuana.

Now his Department of Health and Human Services has recommended that cannabis be reclassified from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug -- still illegal to possess or use except under a doctor’s strict supervision. This falls far short of President Biden’s campaign promise.

As a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act, federal criminal penalties for possession or use will still be upheld, even when such use is legal according to state laws.

Rescheduling will not reverse the social and racial injustices posed by ongoing cannabis enforcement. It will not release anyone currently in prison; it will not clear anyone’s prior convictions; it will not prevent deportation of immigrants, and it will not restore anyone’s eligibility for housing benefits or nutritional assistance. Rescheduling the possession or use of cannabis maintains its current status as a criminal offense.

Sign the petition today to tell President Biden to keep his promise and legalize cannabis! It is an issue of both personal freedom and social responsibility.

There are many good arguments for legalizing the possession and use of cannabis by adults, also known as “adult use.”

Legalization would enable the regulation of a safe drug, without increasing negative consequences. For instance, in Washington, legally distributed marijuana must be tested to demonstrate it is free of toxins, and labeled with health warnings and notification of the concentration of THC. In California, testing and tracking is required from “seed to sale.” Some states require child-proof containers, and use of cannabis by children and teens dropped after legalization in Washington and Colorado. Especially surprising, a study at University of Oregon showed that traffic deaths dropped by 11% in states after legalizing marijuana.

Legalization would end the costs and racial inequities of marijuana enforcement. A recent Harvard study by economist Jeffrey Miron estimates the potential savings of police, judicial, legal, and prison expenses from legalization to be between $7.7 billion and 13.7 billion per year. Nationwide, despite similar usage rates, Black people are 3.7 times more likely to be arrested for possession than whites. In New York City, 15.8% of white arrests for possession, become convictions, whereas the rates for Black and Hispanic people are 32.3% and 30% respectively. The resulting life-long criminalization of individuals has far reaching effects.

Legalization would significantly diminish the illegal market, with its links to organized crime. Like the prohibition of alcohol in the 1930s, greater harm comes to society through the violence of gang activity involved in producing and selling the product than from its use. It is estimated that the Mexican drug cartels have lost $2.7 billion due to legalization in Washington and Colorado alone. The U.S. Border Patrol reports marijuana seizures have dropped by millions of pounds since states have begun to legalize it. Studies have also shown decreases in crime rates in neighborhoods with dispensaries due to increased security presence and pedestrian traffic. Alcohol sales have also decreased in these neighborhoods.

Legalization creates new tax revenues and jobs. With $24.6 billion in legal marijuana revenue nationally in 2021, the industry will contribute billions in state and local taxes where it is legalized. In Colorado, marijuana already brings in three times as much tax revenue as alcohol. As of January 2022, the Leafly Jobs Report indicates that over 428,000 jobs had been created by the U.S. cannabis industry. These tax revenues fund police, drug treatment, mental health centers, housing programs, and school programs such as anti-bullying programs and youth mentoring.

In 2022, 59% of American adults agreed adult use marijuana should be legal. Since 2011, over 50% of Americans have supported legalization. This ground shift is across political parties, especially among younger voters, as 73% of Democrats favor legalization, as do 62% of Republicans from 18 to 29 years old. As of January 2023, adult use marijuana is legal in 21 states and the District of Columbia, and medical use is legal in 37 states.

During his 2020 presidential campaign, President Biden promised to decriminalize cannabis. Sign the petition now to tell President Biden to fulfill this promise and decriminalize marijuana today!

Thank you for standing up for a rational approach to cannabis, with racial and social justice.

- Amanda

Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund