Young Voters Respond to the Justice Department Working to Reclassify Cannabis

In response to President Biden’s Administration moving to reclassify cannabis, NextGen America President Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez released the following statement:

“Today’s pivotal action to move to reschedule cannabis to a schedule III drug marks a monumental stride toward fostering a more just and equitable country. Young people, and especially young people of color, are hit hardest by the impacts of the criminalization of cannabis, and we take pride in contributing to the progress that made this decision possible. For nearly a decade, NextGen America has spearheaded advocacy for sensible drug policies that place justice and equity at the forefront, and we are so excited to see the power of our collective voices today.

“President Biden is fulfilling his campaign promises and firing up young voters for the 2024 election. As we look towards the future, we know this is a huge step forwards in our fight for a better, more equitable future. However, we know our leaders have more work to do to truly reform our criminal justice system, beginning with the full decriminalization of cannabis. We will continue to push President Biden and Congress to champion sensible drug policies, ultimately leading us to a more just, equitable, and compassionate America.”

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About NextGen America

NextGen America is the leading national organization for engaging young people through voter education, registration and mobilization. We invite 18-to-35 year olds — the largest and most diverse generation in American history — into our democracy to ensure our government works for them and to find new solutions to the dire challenges facing our society and the world. Since 2013, NextGen America has registered more than 1.3 million young voters and contacted 9.6 million young eligible voters during the historic 2022 midterm elections.