Charlotte,– NC 9th Congressional District Democratic Nominee and 2018 Candidate for our May 08, 2018 Democratic primary election, Christian Cano, was the guest speaker at the March meeting of North Carolina National Organization For The Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) in Charlotte yesterday at the Holiday Inn Charlotte City Center.
Christian spoke about cannabis reform on a federal level and why it is an issue that needs to be highlighted at the local, state, and federal level for our May 08, 2018 NC primary elections and in our November 06, 2018 Congressional midterm general elections.
During his speech Christian reviewed the federal history of cannabis legislation which included the 1937 “The Marijuana Tax” which was the first federal legislation prohibiting cannabis (excluding medical use) which many credit to the racist views against Mexican migrant workers who used cannabis since it was cheaper than alcohol. The 1970 “The Controlled Substances Act” which officially started the prohibition of medical cannabis in America which many credit to the bigoted views towards Vietnam Veterans returning from war who used it to self-medicate from PTSD. This legislation started the Nixon era War on Drugs that targeted our rich culturally diverse working-class and struggling neighborhoods and started our prison pipeline epidemic for our young neighbors of color and poor rural whites.
“After much due diligence on this very important real-world issue facing our working-class & struggling neighbors, we made a decision in late 2017 that it was time for us to join the adult conversation about ending the prohibition of cannabis here in North Carolina & also ending the racial and economic bigotry of the Nixon era War on Drugs that put all natural cannabis as a federal schedule 1 drug.
“We applaud & support the educational efforts of NORML & specifically the Charlotte Chapter of NORML that has moved this very serious adult conversation into the mainstream for our rich culturally diverse neighbors to see the facts over myths about all-natural cannabis. These myths are usually promoted by a few radical religious fundamentalists & are like the same strategy used during our Marriage Equality debate.
“If America was ready for Marriage Equality, she is surely ready for ending the social, racial, and economic damages of continuing to label cannabis as a federal schedule 1 drug.
“We’ve shared our belief in local, county, and state rule. Only our local neighbors know what is best for our communities, farms, and families. We practice this with alcohol & tobacco sales & even with gun sales. So, getting our federal government out of the way of our local & state neighbor’s decision to decide on their own what is best for their economy, agriculture opportunities, & medical benefits of ending their own prohibition to cannabis. With the overreaching control of big government out of the way on this issue, it would make it easier for local & state legislation to decide to approve or disapprove allowing for both medical & recreational usage of our all-natural cannabis. Not to mention that it would move us toward dismantling the black market & improve the quality & safety controls of cannabis. Legalization would also increase tax revenue & allow for medicinal uses that are proven to treat a wide array of “untreatable” conditions such as Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraines, PTSD, cancer, problems due to chemotherapy, & many more. It would also decrease gang-related drug violence and allow our police & courts to focus on more violent crimes.
“With 64% of Americans now in favor of ending the prohibition of cannabis the time for change is now. It just makes common sense in 2018 to have this adult conversation.
“I’m sadden to be the only NC 9th Congressional District Candidate (along with our Libertarian Candidate) that is having this real-world adult conversation with our neighbors. From passing a clean Dream Act, stopping the drilling off of our coastal shores, holding Duke Energy accountable for their legal responsibility for their Coal Ash disaster, pushing for Medicare for all to save our taxpayers money, pushing for federal legislation to fix our crumbling infrastructure and public schools, supporting responsible gun ownership and federal gun reform with mandatory gun ownership liability insurance, to not just talking about the need for inclusion and diversity; but, also equality for all of our neighbors. We have never sat cowardly on the sidelines while others continue to be marginized.
Our #BlueWave2018 is not only going to occur in our NC 9th Congressional District, it’s also going to occur within our own North Carolina Democratic Party at the local, state, & federal levels.”
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