Date and time: Wednesday, March 27 · 12 - 1pm PDT

Location: 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza Oakland, CA 94612

Primary Press Contact: 

Amber Senter, Executive Director of Supernova Women

amber@supernovawomen.com 

Supernova Women alongside Last Prisoner Project, Drug Policy Alliance, and the California cannabis and California justice communities will hold a press conference at Oakland City Hall 12pm PST, to call on the federal government to decriminalize and deschedule cannabis. They will be joined by celebrity advocate Rosario Dawson.

The call to action is being held in solidarity with the bi-partisan Unity Day of Action for comprehensive cannabis legalization occurring in Washington D.C. on April 18th. 

At the press conference, Supernova Women, Last Prisoner Project and Drug Policy Alliance will launch their sign-on letter from California cannabis stakeholders and justice advocates to  President Biden calling for him to “support the descheduling of marijuana from the CSA and to take action to ensure that the federal government begins the work that California and now so many other states have started -- to acknowledge, end and address the harms of criminalization and to shift the federal government towards a federal framework that better promotes public health, public safety, equity and the will of the American people.”  California stakeholders who support marijuana federal decriminalization are invited to sign-on to this petition.

“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has suggested moving cannabis to Schedule 3, but this half-measure still perpetuates injustice, especially in Black and Brown communities.” Said Amber Senter, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Supernova Women. “It's time for complete descheduling to end the disastrous era of cannabis criminalization.”

Despite 24 states and the District of Columbia having moved forward with adult-use cannabis laws, Congress has failed to send the President a comprehensive cannabis bill. The MORE act has passed the house twice led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Earl Bluemnaur. The Senate however has yet to vote on a comprehensive reform package.

“Both Congress and the Biden Administration have an opportunity and responsibility to take immediate and comprehensive action to end our country’s failed approach to marijuana and right it wrongs.  In order to end federal marijuana criminalization, marijuana must be descheduled – removed entirely from the Controlled Substances Act,” said Cat Packer, Director of Drug Markets and Legal Regulation at the Drug Policy Alliance. 

“From the streets of Oakland to the halls of Congress and the front gates of the White House, the people are demanding the full legalization of cannabis and the release of all cannabis prisoners.” Said Jason Ortiz, Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Last Prisoner Project. “This issue is the most popular and bi-partisan issue in American politics. 70% of Americans support legalization, and we look forward to reminding the President of this fact, his campaign promises, and of our power to hold him accountable.”

Scheduled speakers include:

Amber Senter, Supernova Women

Jason Ortiz, Last Prisoner Project

Cat Packer, Drug Policy Alliance

Rosario Dawson

Julia Arroyo, Young Women's Freedom Center

Evelyn LaChapelle, The Weed Lady

Ross Gordon, National Craft Cannabis Coalition 

Jehan Laner, Immigrant Legal Resource Center

Etienne Fontain, Veterans Action Council

Ellen Komp, California NORML

Chaney Turner, Oakland Cannabis Regulatory Commission

More information about the event can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/yc27k64t 

ABOUT SUPERNOVA WOMEN

Founded by Black and Brown women in 2015, Supernova Women is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works to empower Black and Brown people to become self-sufficient shareholders in the cannabis and natural plant medicine space through education, advocacy, and network building. 

ABOUT LAST PRISONER PROJECT

The Last Prisoner Project is dedicated to freeing those incarcerated due to the War on Drugs, reuniting their families, and helping them rebuild their lives. As laws change, there remains a fundamental injustice for individuals whose conviction is no longer a crime. We work to repair these harms through legal intervention, constituent support, direct advocacy, and policy change.  Visit www.lastprisonerproject.org or text FREEDOM to 24365 to learn more.

ABOUT THE DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE 

The Drug Policy Alliance is the leading organization in the U.S. working to end the drug war, repair its harms, and build a non-punitive, equitable, and regulated drug market. We envision a world that embraces the full humanity of people, regardless of their relationship to drugs. We advocate that the regulation of drugs be grounded in evidence, health, equity, and human rights. In collaboration with other movements and at every policy level, we change laws, advance justice, and save lives. Learn more at drugpolicy.org.