Please be advised that with weather condition, this event has been made virtual.
Tuesday: Kansans to call on lawmakers to close the gap on medical marijuana
CONTACT:
Esmie Tseng, ACLU of Kansas, [email protected]
TOPEKA, KAN. - Everyday Kansans and a coalition of organizations across the state will convene at the Kansas State Capitol next Tuesday to call on lawmakers to close the gap between their actions and public sentiment – and legalize medical marijuana this session.
The 2024 Medical Marijuana Day of Action will take place Tuesday, January 23, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m on the South Wing of the first floor of the Kansas State Capitol Building at SW 8TH VAN BUREN SW, Topeka, KS 66612.
Kansas laws not only restrict opportunities for small business owners, but cast a wide net of criminalization that has impacted those with genuine medical needs, including veterans with PTSD or cancer and other chronic care patients who in many cases have found marijuana a far more favorable option than opioids.
In the 2023 legislative session, Kansas Senate Leadership was again the major blockade against progress, contradicting the climbing popularity of legalization among Kansans. Increasingly, people across the state and across party lines recognize the need to lift restrictions on marijuana access and install policy changes that would make life better for thousands of Kansans. A 2023 poll found that 79% of Kansans support access to medical marijuana through a medical provider and 71% support decriminalization for personal use. Additionally, according to the Fort Hays State University’s Kansas Speaks survey, 67% of Kansans support taxable, recreational marijuana.
Marijuana law is a racial justice problem – especially in Kansas. Criminalization has disproportionately impacted Black Kansans, ranking 12th in the nation for the largest racial disparities in arrest rates for marijuana possession in 2018. Similarly, Black people in Kansas were 4.8 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than a white person in 2018.
Equitable legalization, regulation, and taxation could provide millions of dollars of revenue. By encouraging a responsible and sustainable marijuana industry, Kansas could raise millions of dollars of revenue for essential services like roads, schools, and safety – while creating new opportunities for Kansans from all backgrounds.
This press release is available here.
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About the ACLU of Kansas: The ACLU of Kansas is the statewide affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU of Kansas is dedicated to preserving and advancing the civil rights and legal freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For more information, visit our website at www.aclukansas.org.
About Kansas Cannabis Coalition: The Kansas Cannabis Coalition exists as a dedicated independent group of organizations and individuals working in an advisory role towards strategic, long-term campaigns for accelerating change in cannabis reform in Kansas. For more, visit https://kansascannabiscoalition.com.
About Loud Light: Loud Light engages, educates, and empowers individuals from underrepresented populations to build community power that has an impact on decision makers. We’re transforming Kansas through voter registration, informative videos, coalition building, civic engagement, and youth voter turnout. Learn more at www.loudlight.org.