REP. ILHAN OMAR: LEGALIZE MARIJUANA NATIONWIDE, EXPUNGE CRIMINAL RECORDS OF THOSE JAILED FOR POT

REP. ILHAN OMAR: LEGALIZE MARIJUANA NATIONWIDE, EXPUNGE CRIMINAL RECORDS OF THOSE JAILED FOR POT OFFENSES

Though marijuana has been legalized — at least for medical use — in more than half the country, it remains outlawed by the federal government, which still considers cannabis on a par with heroin. First-term Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota said Saturday morning that she believes it is time for the U.S. to not only legalize pot on a countrywide basis, but to retroactively clear the criminal records of those previously jailed on marijuana charges.

"Cannabis criminalization disproportionately impacts communities of color," wrote Omar on Twitter Saturday morning. "We must finally legalize cannabis nationwide and expunge records for those incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses."

Link to tweet

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According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Omar's statement about marijuana arrests disproportionately affecting people of color was accurate. ACLU research found that, between 2001 and 2010, black people were four times more likely to be arrested on marijuana-related charges than whites, despite the fact that cannabis was used by the same percentage of people in either racial demographic.

https://www.newsweek.com/rep-ilhan-omar-legalize-marijuana-nationwide-expunge-criminal-records-those-1402110?amp=1