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4 dead as severe storms hit Houston, TX; Election Protection Program eases access to voting information; surge in solar installations eases energy costs for Missourians; IN makes a splash for Safe Boating Week.

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The Supreme Court rules funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is okay, election deniers hold key voting oversight positions in swing states, and North Carolina lawmakers vote to ban people from wearing masks in public.

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AL man's presidential pardon highlights marijuana reform trend

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Tuesday, March 19, 2024   

A man from Dothan, Alabama, serving a life sentence for selling drugs received a presidential pardon, which sparked discussions about long sentences for marijuana-related offenses.

As President Joe Biden granted forgiveness to Earlie Deacon Barber, advocates for changing the current drug laws emphasized the need for broader reforms for marijuana-related charges.

Paul Armentano, deputy director of the advocacy group NORML, highlighted the significance of presidential pardons in the overall debate.

"It's an acknowledgment from the most powerful person in the land that we have moved on from these offenses," Armentano asserted. "We're forgiving these people for these offenses, and that this record should not be holding them back from future opportunities."

Barber's life sentence is set to expire April 20. Armentano pointed out a pardon still does not eliminate the challenges faced by people with criminal records in getting jobs and housing. Multiple states have changed their cannabis possession laws and state courts have expunged or sealed the records in more than 2 million marijuana-related cases.

Randall Woodfin, mayor of Birmingham, has pardoned more than 23,000 people with charges dating back to 1990. And he has appealed for stronger federal protections, such as changing the legal classification of cannabis to allow for greater access or fewer restrictions on its use.

Armentano agreed more could be done at the federal level to address the stigma and challenges.

"Because it's Congress that enacted marijuana prohibition, and at the end of the day, it needs to be Congress that has to enact policy to end marijuana prohibition at the federal level," Armentano urged.

He noted NORML advocate Chris Goldstein, a pardon recipient, recently discussed federal cannabis policies with Vice President Kamala Harris.

At present, 24 states allow nonmedical adult use of cannabis, but they are still at odds with federal law, which considers marijuana use illegal.

Disclosure: Just Trust contributes to our fund for reporting on Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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