LEAP: From your perspective as law enforcement, why does marijuana policy reform remain such an important issue?

Terry: The reason marijuana policy reform is important is that a great injustice has been committed in the name of marijuana enforcement on the American public, and especially on communities of color. Marijuana reform is the first step toward overhauling our entire drug policy, which needs to be completely changed.

LEAP: What is the most encouraging thing you observed in 2021 on the issue of marijuana reform?

Terry: More states have been reforming their policies on marijuana, which is encouraging and very important. What is most valuable to me is the advent of pardons and expungements for hundreds of thousands of people convicted of marijuana-related crimes across the nation, and I hope this trend continues.

LEAP: What do you believe makes LEAP the right organization to impact this issue? 

Terry: The public has relied on the American law enforcement community to inform and educate them on the dangers of drugs, and specifically on marijuana, for the last several decades. Now that we understand how these unjust laws created even greater economic and social injustices for communities of color, I feel that law enforcement must change our own perception of marijuana, and work to let the public know that we support policy reform. The way in which unjust marijuana drug enforcement on the streets caused even greater gaps between the police and the communities they serve should be a concern for every law enforcement officer in America, and LEAP is the perfect organization to lead this discussion and the activities that promote these changes.

• Corporal Tim Hitt (Fmr.) submitted written testimony to the Louisiana House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee in support of HB 524, which would legalize and regulate marijuana in Louisiana.

• Judge Gordon McAllister (Ret.) and Lt. Jim Nolan (Fmr.) gave both written and oral testimony before the Delaware House Health and Human Development Committee in support of HB 150, the Delaware Marijuana Control Act. Judge McAllister also testified in support of marijuana legalization in Maryland.

• Judge John Delaney gave oral and written testimony before the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence in favor of a package of bills decriminalizing marijuana.

• Major Neill Franklin (Ret.) gave oral and written testimony in favor of SB 708, a bill to legalize and regulate marijuana in Maryland, and Detective Debbie Ramsey (Ret.) submitted written testimony in support of the bill.

• Officer Sean Perez (Ret.) gave oral and written testimony to the Connecticut House Judiciary Committee in support of marijuana legalization with amendments to address racial equity concerns.

• City Attorney Pete Holmes and Chief Betty Frizzell (Ret.) submitted written testimony in support of legislation to allow home grow of marijuana in Washington.

• For the 14th year, Corrections Superintendent Rick Van Wickler (Ret.) appeared before the New Hampshire Criminal Justice Legislative committee to support legalization and regulation of marijuana.

• Officer Kyle Kazan (Ret.) participated in a documentary on medical marijuana.