John,

Legislation is pending – H.R. 8917, the Marijuana Misdemeanor Expungement Act – to create a process for people with low-level federal marijuana convictions to petition to have those charges expunged from their records.

Passage of this legislation will make it so that thousands of people are no longer stigmatized and disenfranchised by the collateral consequences of an arrest record for behavior that most people believe should no longer be a crime.

(Note: Unlike expungements, the pardons for federal cannabis possession misdemeanors granted by the Biden Administration do not erase convictions from a person’s criminal record.)

Many states have enacted similar legislation in recent years. This has resulted in well over two-million cannabis-related expungements nationwide since 2018. Unfortunately, people with similar federal convictions are being left behind.

No one deserves to have their lives derailed because of a past, low-level marijuana conviction. Please use this pre-written letter to urge your representatives to support H.R. 8917.

P.S. Our efforts are supported by thousands of people throughout the country as we work to advance marijuana reform in all 50 states and the federal level. Can you kick in $5, $10 or $20 a month to help us keep going?