As we move along with the changing landscape of cannabis legalization and normalization in the United States, it is critical that we not just acknowledge the harms endured by, but also work towards restorative justice for those communities who have been most impacted by the racist criminalization of cannabis for decades.
Organizations such as the Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine (ACHEM) are working to ensure that this is the case by using their voice and network to advise those who may influence such policy changes. When working with policy advisory bodies, it is important to take note of groups with short-term corporate and institution interests that disregard comprehensive and equitable cannabis policy reform. Unfortunately the US Cannabis Council (USCC) is doing just that, which is why ACHEM made the decision to resign.
The US Cannabis Council even states in their mission that they wish “to build a future of legal access to cannabis delivered through an equitable and values-driven industry by advancing federal cannabis legalization and promoting restorative justice for communities harmed by cannabis prohibition.” This does not seem to be the case as…