Six U.S. senators final week despatched a letter to President Joe Biden (D) urging him to make use of his govt authority to deschedule hashish and problem pardons to all people convicted of non-violent hashish crimes.
The signatories embody Democratic Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D), New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker (D), Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D), and impartial Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The group had beforehand despatched a letter asking the Biden Administration – particularly the Division of Justice – to deschedule hashish in October and within the latest letter famous that the response to their inquiry took greater than six months and was a half-page that famous the Division of Well being and Human Providers (HHS) had decided “hashish has not been confirmed in scientific research to be a secure and efficient remedy for any illness or situation.” Within the latest letter, the senators say that response “ignores the flexibility of the DOJ and Drug Enforcement Administration to start the descsheduling course of and act independently of an HHS dedication.”
The senators stated the administration has nonetheless not responded to a November letter they despatched to the president asking him “to pardon all people convicted of non-violent hashish offenses, whether or not previously or presently incarcerated.” In April, Biden pardoned 9 people convicted of non-violent hashish crimes, however the senators say “rather more must be performed to deal with the racist and dangerous legacy of hashish insurance policies on Black and Brown communities.”
“The legacy of the conflict on medicine is pervasive,” the senators write. “It’s estimated that over 40,000 people are nonetheless incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses.”
The letter calls out the administration for failing “to coordinate a well timed evaluate of its hashish coverage” which the senators say “is harming 1000’s of People, slowing analysis, and depriving People of their means to make use of marijuana for medical or different functions.”
The entire letter signatories symbolize states which have legalized hashish for adults.
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