Weâre nearly halfway through what is shaping up to be the most exciting year Iâve seen in all my years fighting for drug policy reform. Weâve had some major breakthroughs in Congress and in state legislatures throughout the country, but our toughest battles are still on the horizon. We canât lose momentum now.
The White House has abandoned some of the old drug war rhetoric, but the decision to nominate Michele Leonhart to head the DEA raises serious questions about the administrationâs commitment to reform. Leonhart is responsible for obstructing scientific research and overseeing raids on medical marijuana patients and caregivers. Sheâs the worst imaginable choice, and we need to show our political leaders that we wonât tolerate her backwards ideas.
Itâs clear that despite the many gains weâve made this year, we still have far to go. Itâs more important than ever that we keep our focus because in the coming months weâll have the opportunity to turn the drug war on its head.  With your support, we can win our biggest victories to date.
California could become the first state to end marijuana prohibition, and DPA is right there on the front lines. Weâre working with legislators in New Jersey, Maine and Washington, DC as they implement new medical marijuana legislation. And weâre closer than ever to reforming the draconian and racially biased sentencing laws enacted during the drug war hysteria of the 1980s.
The momentum is on our side. This year DPA has been winning more unprecedented reforms than ever. The Senate voted unanimously to reform unjust federal sentencing laws that disproportionately impact communities of color. Meanwhile, New Jersey became the fourteenth state to legalize medical marijuana, and the first state to reform its harsh and ineffective âdrug free zoneâ laws.
