By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
May 1, 2024
“Compassionate care” has been the rallying cry of a bipartisan group of lawmakers pushing for so-called “medical marijuana.” The bill passed by the N.C. Senate last spring would loosen laws governing the drug, and was labeled the Compassionate Care Act.
But a recent social media ad released by Democrat House Member Graig Meyer makes it clear that rather than simply allowing victims of cancer or other serious illnesses to try to ease their pain or nausea by smoking or ingesting marijuana, the actual goal for many is to fully legalize the psychoactive drug.
“There’s no path for legalization happening with just Republicans,” and “so we need to hold firm on what we think the standards should be and work on a deal,” Meyer told the Raleigh News & Observer, which reported on his ad and the state of marijuana bills last week.
Meyer and six other Democrats sponsored SB 346, an “act to legalize and regulate the sale, possession and use of cannabis in North Carolina” last spring, calling it the Marijuana Justice and Reinvestment Act. The bill failed to gain traction, prompting him to move toward a more public appeal.
“We ended up wanting to create this ad because we wanted to do something that opened up and changed the broader public conversation about legalization and wasn’t just stuck inside the political circles of Raleigh,” he told the N&O.
The ad features side-by-side videos of two men, one black and one white, each lighting a joint while sitting in his car. A young white officer approaches and the scenario shows him letting the white man go on about his evening with no consequences, while the black man is arrested and jailed.
Released on the eve of the 4/20 weed holiday, the ad reads: “Same weed, same laws, twice the arrests, twice the convictions” and urges viewers that “it’s time to embrace legalization, farming, regulation, taxation, and reinvestment.”
Meyer’s comment above the video reads “Black and White folks use #marijuana at roughly equal rates. But Black folks are almost twice as likely to be arrested and convicted for possession. Don’t let this video kill your buzz but…”
The Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said legalizing pot is not the key to social justice. He provided the following written statement in response:
“The ad run by Meyer and his colleagues is mostly fear-based hyperbole, not data. It is a myth as bad as the belief in a flat Earth. Countless people are not behind bars simply for smoking marijuana. Moreover, the legalization of marijuana doesn’t really counter the racial and socioeconomic factors.
“Racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests stem from systemic issues like racial profiling, unequal enforcement of drug laws, and disparities in access to legal resources. Simply legalizing marijuana does not address these systemic injustices, as evidenced in a report by the ACLU four years ago, which showed African Americans continue to experience disproportionately higher rates of arrest even in states where marijuana has been legalized.
“An advertisement of this nature and the argument it makes is purposely misleading at worst, and unintentionally uninformed at best. And, we must not forget that the effects of permitting a commercial marijuana industry are complex, as seen through a range of outcomes including rises in mental health concerns, addiction rates, unintentional consumption of high-potency products by minors, hospitalizations, incidents of impaired driving, and fatalities.
“Marijuana legalization may result in lower arrests for marijuana possession, this is a given. Nevertheless, it does nothing to address the broader issues of social justice and racial inequality. Efforts to achieve meaningful reform must focus on addressing the root causes of racial disparities and ensuring equitable access to justice for all individuals, regardless of race or socioeconomic status.”
Rev. Creech said the Christian Action League will continue to monitor and address any marijuana legislation introduced this session.
Lawmakers reported to Raleigh to open the spring session just days after the Eastern Band of Cherokees began selling marijuana on its land in western North Carolina. The tribal council of the EBC legalized medical marijuana in 2021, and plant harvesting started last year. Recreational use is expected to begin on the Qualla Boundary as early as June, once the tribal council establishes an adult use ordinance.
