On 4/20, HIGH TIMES magazine launched a petition on Change.org to convince United States Attorney General Eric Holder, United States Attorney General Designate Loretta Lynch and California Attorney General Kamala Harris to release all non-violent marijuana prisoners. According to the petition, more than 10,000 U.S. citizens are incarcerated even though more than 4 states have legalized recreational marijuana and more have laws allowing medicinal use. Since its founding over 40 years ago, HIGH TIMES has back this cause, using it as one of its most precious values, in addition to advocating a level playing field for the cannabis industry.
The petition urges Attorney General Holder, as well as the Attorney General Designate, to recommend the immediate release of all non-violent marijuana offenders and to provide new sentencing guidelines to give law enforcement other options besides imprisoning non-violent offenders. In 2013, 693,482 people were arrested for a marijuana law violation and of those, 88 percent were charged only with possession.
Recreational marijuana is now legal in four states and the District of Columbia, medical use is legal in 24 others and 58 percent of Americans are in favor of legalized, regulated marijuana. This change in American perspective on marijuana, HIGH TIMES argues, is the exact reason why non-violent offenders should be released.
HIGH TIMES’ petition can be found at http://bit.ly/420Freedom. Signers are asked to spread word of the petition using #FreePotPrisoners across social media.
Photo: Carlos Gracia
Toke Tank 