Legislators: The Term ‘Marijuana’ Has Long Been Used To Discriminate Against Latinos

The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators has called for the decriminalization of cannabis nationwide, a first in its history.

The organization is also seeking stronger protections against discrimination of members of the LGBTQ community and is asking President Donald Trump to reconsider his plans to ban transgender people from military service. The two resolutions are aimed at “correcting chronic injustices committed against Latinos and many other Americans,” the NHCSL wrote in a press statement on Wednesday.

“Marijuana policy in this country has disproportionately targeted Latinos from the start,” NHCSL President and Pennsylvania state Rep. Ángel Cruz (D) said in the press statement. “Research shows that the benefits of legalizing cannabis range from taking advantage of its medicinal benefits, increasing tax revenues for health and education, to lowering crime while at the same time reducing disproportionate incarceration of minorities.”

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