Advocacy & Social Justice Issues Embedded in the Economic Regulation of Medical Cannabis

WHEREAS, 23 states have now approved the use of medical and adult use of cannabis for individuals with doctors permits; and

WHEREAS, 12 states will have medical and adult use of cannabis use on the ballot or in the legislature in 2016, and

WHEREAS, medical use of cannabis eases symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and cannabis research shows that it is useful for the treatment of selective kinds of chronic pain, including pain caused by neuropathy, and pain due to fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, and

WHEREAS, 4 states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized adult use and/or possession of cannabis; and

WHEREAS, it is clear that cannabis prohibition began on the backs of African Americans and was used to criminalize several generations of African Americans and enslaved them for free labor for the prison industrial complex; and

WHEREAS, the war on drugs declared by the federal government depleted our community and robbed it of the resources to remain viable; and

WHEREAS, many illegal cannabis growers are finding pathways to legalization to enable them to benefit from the regulation movement; and

WHEREAS, the underground cannabis economy that has sustained many Black residents should be given a pathway to legalization, especially if they are felons as a result of committing low level drug crimes; and

WHEREAS, a significant amount of the revenue should be dedicated and provided to community based organizations for restoring, counseling and other health related services that are needed.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls for business opportunities to be made available to the African American community; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACPrequests Congress to modify the Internal Revenue Code, Section 280 (e), that bans tax deductions under federal law and allows business people to place their money in the bank and get normal business tax deductions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls for the uniform decriminalization of cannabis possession under one (1) ounce; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP advocate for the pardon of persons previously convicted of non-violent cannabis crimes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NAACP units across the country get involved on the ground floor of negotiating for our communities' share of the medical and adult use of cannabis business opportunities and restoration of our communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP develop a model set of policy requirements relative to cannabis policy proposals that each unit should advocate for; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP lobby congressional representatives to change the law relative to medical and adult use of cannabis legalization and to support pardons of those with past nonviolent cannabis related convictions.