By: Zoe Hudson
“Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed.” – Jimmy Carter (U.S. President, 1977)
The marijuana prohibition continues to ruin many more lives than it saves. Every year more than a half million Americans are arrested for violating marijuana laws.
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Although moderate marijuana use is far less dangerous than moderate use of other legal drugs such as alcohol or tobacco, the use of marijuana is treated as a criminal offense.
Homelessness, gang violence, social disparities, organized crime and police militarization are only some of the many problems caused by this criminal justice approach.
Legalizing marijuana use will not only combat these problems, but could also save millions of dollars in taxpayer money annually.
Here are some of the top organizations that are fighting to legalize marijuana:
NORML=National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
NORML is a non-profit organization founded in 1970. It is the oldest and largest organization fighting to legalize marijuana in the U.S.
Some of its work includes educating the public on marijuana and policies relating to its use, providing current information about the legalization of marijuana, and helping victims charged with marijuana offenses.
The organization has helped decriminalize minor marijuana offenses in 11 states and lower the penalties tremendously in others.
In the future, NORML aspires to completely reform marijuana laws and legalize the safe and responsible use of marijuana for adults.
MPP= Marijuana Policy Project
MPP is the number one organization fighting to legalize cannabis use in the U.S. It consists of two separate branches: MPP, which deals with lobbying and ballot initiatives, and MPP Foundation, an educational branch.
MPP advocates for legalizing the use of medical marijuana. It also strives to educate the public by covering drug policy reform on various media platforms.
Since 1995 MPP has influenced changes in marijuana laws and positively impacted both patients and consumers.
It has persuaded the commission to reduce cultivation penalties, given legal advice relating to the initiative to legalize medical marijuana, and convinced the American Medical Association to research the benefits of medical marijuana.
Next on its policy agenda, MPP wants to replace outright prohibition with a system of regulation, allowing for fair marijuana policies.
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ICRS= International Cannabinoid Research Society
ICRS is a scientific research association with over 650 international members. Although technically founded in 1992, ICRS is an inclusive, open-minded, and research-driven organization which has been conducting scientific research in the field of cannabis since the 1970s.
ICRS is a non-political and non-religious organization serving as a source of impartial information on cannabis and cannabinoids. Its members frequently meet to discuss its research so its information is always up-to-date and reliable.
DPA= Drug Policy Alliance
Founded in 1987, the Drug Policy Foundation sought to build a membership organization on drug policy reform. Later, in 1994, another organization with similar values was founded, The Lindensmith Center.
Its goal was to challenge the then conventional opinion on drugs and raise awareness for drug policy reform. Both of these organizations came together in 2000 and merged into the DPA.
The DPA is the world’s leading drug policy reform organization with a clear goal of ending the war on drugs. It is trying to reduce criminalization in drug policy by advocating for the legal regulation of marijuana, promoting new health-centered drug policies, and offering the public honest and unbiased education on drugs.
Its main goal is to get accurate information to the public and stop fear-based warnings which result in zero-tolerance policies.
The DPA has successfully helped in marijuana reform, not only to make marijuana use available for medical and other broader purposes but also in sentencing reforms.
It seeks to continue pursuing ways to reduce the harm caused by both drug abuse and drug prohibition, and to promote individual freedom over our minds and bodies.
ENCOD= European Coalition for Justice and Effective Drug Policies
ENCOD was founded in 1993 as a collective of marijuana activists and organizations. It has been active in promoting Cannabis Social Clubs which are associations of citizens who advocate the private use of cannabis. ENCOD has been fighting to have these clubs legalized in Europe with three different approaches:
The societal approach- supporting European initiatives to protect the rights of drug users.
The informational approach– educating the public by offering information on drugs.
The regulatory approach- taking part in discussions on drug regulation within the E.U.
ENCOD’s European Commission approved “Catania report” in 2004 proposed taking a scientific approach to drug policy and regulation instead of total prohibition. Its end goal is to replace drug prohibition with a more balanced and rational approach to dealing with drug-related problems.
LEAP= Law Enforcement Action Partnership
LEAP is a non-profit organization founded in 2002 by five police officers who wanted to make communities safe and allow law enforcement to focus on threats greater than drug use.
Today LEAP consists of law enforcement officials advocating for reforming drug policy and related criminal justice policies. It makes media appearances to reach a wide spectrum of people and raise awareness about the threat of drug prohibitions on public safety.
In 2018 LEAP made over 4,600 media appearances to educate the public and remodel their opinion on drug policy. It seeks to build trust and respect for law enforcement and heal the relationship between police and their communities.
Stop the Drug War
Stop the Drug War is an organization founded in 1993 for online activism in drug policy reform. It is well-known for its weekly newsletter “Drug War Chronicles”, an educational and high-quality report on drug policy issues. The organization allows its members to advocate for reform on an international level.
In 1998, Stop the Drug War proposed the Higher Education Act Reform Campaign which opposed the cutting off of financial aid from students with drug convictions and it was passed. It believes any harm that comes from drugs is a result of criminalizing drugs.
Find out more about Stop the Drug War.
The war on drugs and its fallout has caused immense harm to society.
Thankfully, we have slowly been moving closer to the legalization of cannabis, but the question is, where do we go from here?
Especially after the economic aftermath of COVID-19, legalizing and taxing marijuana could have potential economic benefits for many countries, giving these organizations a great opportunity to push through with their agendas.
What can you do to support the legalization of marijuana?
Take a few minutes to check out any of the above organizations at their websites. Donate to an organization or email your local governor, none of which cost anything but your time. Help these organizations pursue their missions and use your rights as a citizen to help protect all of our rights as humans.
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Zoe Hudson is a writer who focuses on cannabis lifestyle and culture.