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@rosariodawson : #Repost @corybooker As states are moving to legalize marijuana, most are not expunging the records of the thousands of people who have criminal convictions for marijuana possession, use or distribution crimes. ⠀ A marijuana conviction (like all convictions) is a life sentence.People can’t get jobs or many business licenses, & they can’t get food assistance like SNAP or public housing if it is a felony.In fact, the American Bar Association found over 40,000 collateral consequences facing formerly incarcerated people. What makes this worse is that those arrested for marijuana crimes are overwhelmingly poor or minorities.Some say we already have marijuana legalization in America for privileged people because you don’t see the kind of enforcement for marijuana use and distribution in well-off communities or even college campuses.But in low income communities & communities of color, there is widespread enforcement.In America, there is virtually no difference between blacks & whites for marijuana use or sale, but a black person is about 3.7 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession. The so-called "War on Drugs" hasn’t been a war on drugs, but a war on people.I am all for states moving to legalize marijuana.But it is unfair & unjust not to expunge records & to not use some of the proceeds from taxing marijuana to invest in those communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the prohibition of marijuana-investing in things like job training, education programs, libraries, & more. ⠀ I'm the author of the Marijuana Justice Act.This bill would deschedule marijuana at the federal level & allow states to legalize the drug.The bill includes expungement provisions, community reinvestment provisions, & pushes states to correct for any disparate treatment in their enforcement practices. I hope everyone who is in favor of legalization will speak up about the urgency of expungement & become an advocate & activist for a broader & more restorative justice. W