Dear Friends and Colleagues,
About three weeks ago, I was pleased to announce that Timothy McMahan King had joined Clergy for a New Drug Policy as Senior Fellow. My hope was that together we could expand the capacity of CNDP both to work with other organizations to toward our goal of ending the War on Drugs and also to broaden our advocacy efforts toward this end.
We have now identified the first such opportunity. Specifically, we seek your support of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2021. This bill would declassify marijuana as a controlled substance under federal law. (Currently, cannabis is listed as a Schedule 1 substance, defined as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”)
The MORE Act would also remove the collateral consequences of marijuana arrests such as denial of food stamps and student loan eligibility. It would ensure that individuals could not lose their immigration status for marijuana possession. Finally, it would also provide funding for equity programs seeking to reverse the discriminatory enforcement of our cannabis laws over the past 50 years.
The decision on how or whether to legalize cannabis would be a state issue. No longer could those opposing cannabis legalization at the state level cite federal law to support their position.
I believe this bill would serve as the death knell to marijuana prohibition in this country.
Tim and I ask that you to take action today. Our friends at the Drug Policy Alliance have set up an easy form for you to do so.
We need your help to cross the finish line so please urge your Representative to vote YES on the MORE Act today.
We expect a vote on this bill in the House of Representatives today. It is essential, therefore, that you act quickly.
Sincerely, 
Rev. Alexander E. Sharp,
Executive Director, Clergy for a New Drug Policy