January 26, 2021 John,
2020 was a momentous year for marijuana law reform, from a clean sweep of ballot initiative victories on Election Day to the historic passage of the MORE Act in the US House of Representatives. Never before have I been so confident that the end of prohibition is just around the corner. In order to turn that confidence into a reality, however, we need to double down on our efforts and finish the job. Our electoral wins in 2020 demonstrated that support for legalization extends across geographic and demographic lines. The success of these initiatives proves definitively that marijuana legalization is not exclusively a ‘blue’ state issue, but an issue that is supported by a majority of all Americans — regardless of party politics. The approval of the MORE Act by the full House of Representatives, the first time in history a full chamber of Congress ever debated and voted in favor of marijuana law reform legislation of this scale, shows that our political support is growing in tandem with public sentiment.
All of our progress in 2020 has set the stage for a much-needed legislative showdown in 2021, both in the halls of Congress and in state capitols across the nation. We are primed and ready for this legislative debate and we, ultimately, will win it -- because folks like you have stepped up and become stakeholders in this fight. We already have legalization bills introduced or currently being debated in numerous states such as Virginia, New York, Connecticut, and New Mexico, with even more states expected to join the discussion in the coming days. Can we count on your help?
Together, we’re going to continue to accomplish great things. We deeply appreciate your support and hard work as we inch closer to cannabis freedom nationwide. Let’s make 2021 another one for the history books.
Onward,
Erik Altieri
NORML Executive Director
