Friend, sign this: Marijuana convictions disproportionately hurt Black, disabled & other marginalized communities

Friend, President Biden shocked us all when he took a major step by recently pardoning individuals who faced charges for marijuana possession under federal law. The [pardon request application is now officially up](, but to the dismay of many, it can take up to two and a half hours to complete and submit. A number of states and localities have already simplified this process by switching to an automated system; the federal government can do the same. [Sign if you agree: Marijuana pardon applications must be automated.]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( We’ve seen through other federal programs like student loan relief that long-form application processes are a deterrence to those who need it most: low-income individuals, disabled people, Black communities, and other communities of color. We already know that marijuana prohibition disproportionately harms Black communities. Black communities and other vulnerable communities across the country who have been charged with marijuana possession have already paid a significant personal cost, affecting their public housing and financial aid eligibility, employment opportunities, child custody determinations, immigration status, and more. Enough is enough. Countless dollars, lives, and resources have been lost in a [failing]( decades-long fight. This 4/20, we applaud the Biden administration for his work on cannabis reform and call on Attorney General Merrick Garland to begin doing the work to undo the harms caused by prohibition, which starts with simplifying the process for those who need it most. [Sign if you agree: Marijuana pardon applications must be automated.]( [SIGN THE PETITION]( Keep fighting, Jayleen Alvarado, Daily Kos Daily Kos needs you now more than ever We are falling behind our projections for two of our three major revenue streams: advertising and list building. This means that at this moment, we need to rely more and more on donations from the Daily Kos community to make ends meet. Can you chip in $5 right now to help Daily Kos keep fighting? [Donate $5]( If you wish to donate by mail instead, please send a check to Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Contributions to Daily Kos are not tax deductible. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.