LPP Submits Comment on U.S. Sentencing Commission's Proposed Cannabis-Related Amendment

March 14, 2023

Last Prisoner Project submitted the following comments to the United States Sentencing Commission in response to the Commission’s January 12, 2023 notice of proposed Amendment #7, which concerns the impact simple possession of marijuana offenses on criminal histories. 


LPP commended the Commission for taking steps to better reflect the current legal and policy landscape surrounding cannabis activity in the United States. According to the Commission’s research, despite twenty-one states having legalized marijuana for adult use, simple possession of marijuana offenses still result in criminal history points being added to sentencing calculations.


This policy leads to longer sentences for thousands of Americans each year.


With that in mind, LPP's comment supported the Commission’s proposal to exclude marijuana offenses from criminal history score sentencing calculations. In addition, we urged the Commission to consider implementing additional reforms to federal sentencing guidelines related to cannabis crimes. 


Read our full comment here.

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