Minnesota legal marijuana advocates focus on racial equity Bill getting a House vote Thursday aims to address the toll marijuana policing has taken on communities of color. May 11, 2021 3:46pm Text size Copy shortlink:
Marijuana is a burden of Kente Shivers past, but he hopes it can be his lifeline to a better future.
He was charged with felony possession of marijuana in 2017 and sentenced to more than 30 months in prison, a criminal record that s made it nearly impossible to find work and housing since he was released last year.
Now, Minnesota legislators are debating legalizing marijuana for adults and creating a marketplace to sell it, framing it as a racial equity issue that will help address the economic disparities and the disproportionate toll drug offenses have taken on communities of color.