End The War on Drugs By Supporting the Next Step Act of 2019/2020
End The War on Drugs By Supporting the Next Step Act of 2019/2020
The Issue
The War on Drugs policies have preferentially targeted minorities and the economically disadvantaged. The damage caused is evident in our communities. We must make legislative changes immediately to STOP this damage.
Legislators: Please support the Next Step Act of 2019/2020, and bring it to a vote.
Citizens: Tell your legislators to support this bill!
This bill, Senate Bill S.697, sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker [D-NJ] and the House Bill H.R.1893, sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman [D-NJ-12], ends The War on Drugs with needed reforms in 4 major areas:
DIVISION A—SENTENCING REFORM: ENDING MASS INCARCERATION
Decriminalize drug possession, particularly marijuana, and eliminate policies that result in disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates of people of color. Roll back harsh mandatory minimum sentences, eliminate sentencing disparities, and consider retroactive sentence reductions.
Treat inmates like people. If someone must be imprisoned, they should at least be granted sufficient resources to maintain their health and human dignity. Appoint impartial overseers of prison policies.
DIVISION C—RE-ENTRY REFORM: REDUCING THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES OF CONVICTION
End policies that permanently exclude people with a drug arrest or conviction from key rights and opportunities, so those released can rebuild their lives. Barriers to voting, employment, loans, financial aid, child custody, public housing, and other public assistance all need to be addressed.
Strengthen community and law enforcement partnerships while increasing accountability for use of force reporting. Direct funds to community support resources in order to prevent crime, rather than routing the majority of funds to law enforcement and punishment.
For more information on the Bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/697/text
Additional resources on the benefits of ending the war on drugs can be found at The Drug Policy Alliance: https://drugpolicy.org/issues/race-and-drug-war
Image Credit: "No More Drug War" by vpickering is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The Issue
The War on Drugs policies have preferentially targeted minorities and the economically disadvantaged. The damage caused is evident in our communities. We must make legislative changes immediately to STOP this damage.
Legislators: Please support the Next Step Act of 2019/2020, and bring it to a vote.
Citizens: Tell your legislators to support this bill!
This bill, Senate Bill S.697, sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker [D-NJ] and the House Bill H.R.1893, sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman [D-NJ-12], ends The War on Drugs with needed reforms in 4 major areas:
DIVISION A—SENTENCING REFORM: ENDING MASS INCARCERATION
Decriminalize drug possession, particularly marijuana, and eliminate policies that result in disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates of people of color. Roll back harsh mandatory minimum sentences, eliminate sentencing disparities, and consider retroactive sentence reductions.
Treat inmates like people. If someone must be imprisoned, they should at least be granted sufficient resources to maintain their health and human dignity. Appoint impartial overseers of prison policies.
DIVISION C—RE-ENTRY REFORM: REDUCING THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES OF CONVICTION
End policies that permanently exclude people with a drug arrest or conviction from key rights and opportunities, so those released can rebuild their lives. Barriers to voting, employment, loans, financial aid, child custody, public housing, and other public assistance all need to be addressed.
Strengthen community and law enforcement partnerships while increasing accountability for use of force reporting. Direct funds to community support resources in order to prevent crime, rather than routing the majority of funds to law enforcement and punishment.
For more information on the Bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/697/text
Additional resources on the benefits of ending the war on drugs can be found at The Drug Policy Alliance: https://drugpolicy.org/issues/race-and-drug-war
Image Credit: "No More Drug War" by vpickering is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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Petition created on July 12, 2020