(Eric Engman/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner via AP)As views shift on the decriminalization of marijuana, and current and former lawmakers question existing drug laws, the fact that people of color, particularly from low-income communities, are still suffering consequences from decades-old marijuana laws is deeply concerning, critics say. Some are still dealing with the consequences of strict drug laws. Sen. Kirsten Gillbrand (D-N.Y.) noted the disparity in how marijuana laws affect people of color, as well as low-income people. But how people of color in urban areas have been treated by this country's drug laws appears to be a lesser concern right now. “White entrepreneurs in the marijuana industry, and the lawmakers who help it flourish, should highlight the racist history of marijuana prohibition and acknowledge its continuing impact.”

Source: Washington Post April 20, 2018 19:18 UTC