NBJC Applauds President Biden’s Initiative to Reschedule Marijuana
WASHINGTON – Following news that the Biden administration announced the formal rulemaking process to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III from its Schedule I designation, Dr. David J. Johns, CEO and Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a leading civil rights organization, issued the following statement:
“The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) commends President Joe Biden for initiating the formal rulemaking process to reschedule marijuana from its current Schedule I designation to Schedule III. This significant step marks a long-overdue shift in federal policy, one that holds profound implications for Black communities and Black LGBTQ+ and same-gender loving people, more specifically, who have disproportionately suffered under the enforcement of marijuana laws.
“For over 50 years, the Schedule I designation has criminalized marijuana, leading to countless arrests and convictions. It has fueled systemic racial disparities, contributing to mass incarceration and the erosion of economic and social opportunities for Black people.
“Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III represents not only a progressive shift in our nation’s drug policy but also an essential move towards justice and equity. By reducing the severity of federal penalties, this rescheduling initiative promises to right some of the long-standing harms inflicted upon marginalized communities.
“While the reclassification of marijuana is monumental, NBJC will work with partners to use the public comment period to push our government to fully decriminalize it by removing it from the schedule classification entirely. We will also urge continued efforts to address the past harms of marijuana criminalization, including expunging the records of those previously convicted of marijuana offenses and investing in communities that have been most affected by these outdated laws. These reforms are especially important considering how many non-Black people have cashed in on the now somewhat legalized industry.
“Our government needs to hear from us that we are ready as a nation to end the failed war on drugs. If we’re loud enough, the final rule could be life-saving for the many Black and Black LGBTQ+/SGL people and families impacted by decades of profiling, harassment, and incarceration.”
