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RES-2020-052 DRAFT <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA <br /> <br />WHEREAS, The current prohibition of marijuana in North Carolina has caused the needless arrest and <br />incarceration of thousands of individuals, predominantly people of color, for nonviolent crimes, at great <br />social and economic cost despite the fact that people of color and whites use marijuana at the same rates, <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, According to an American Civil Liberties Union study, as a result of disparate enforcement, <br />Black North Carolinians are over three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, an arrest for possession of marijuana can have an impact on housing, student loans, future <br />employment, child custody determinations and many other circumstances; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Studies also show that criminalization has not protected public health, in terms of adverse <br />effects of marijuana itself or in deterring substance abuse and addiction; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Marijuana legalization is sound public policy, necessary to address the health and societal <br />impacts of marijuana criminalization and the inequitable implementation of incarceration-based policies, <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the most recent Public Policy Polling results show North Carolinians support marijuana <br />legalization by a margin of 48% to 42%; <br /> <br />NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Orange County Board of Commissioners supports the <br />decriminalization of marijuana in North Carolina and state legislation to legalize the distribution, sale, and <br />use of marijuana products pursuant to regulatory and taxation frameworks designed to ensure appropriate <br />use (including through age and other evidence-based restrictions) for recreational and medical purposes <br />while providing treatment for substance abuse; <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHERMORE RESOLVED that the Board believes such legislation should also provide for the <br />expungement of records for individuals previously convicted of crimes of distribution, possession, or use of <br />marijuana products; <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board believes funds from the taxation of marijuana sales should <br />be used for the benefit of the communities most impacted by the incarceration of people for behavior that <br />society is legalizing, including the investment of marijuana sales tax revenues for job training, reentry <br />services, diversion programs, legal aid, literacy programs, youth mentoring and substance use treatment; <br /> <br />AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Orange County Board of Commissioners requests that the <br />North Carolina General Assembly advocate for federal legislation to end the prohibition of marijuana at the <br />federal level, with its removal from the Controlled Substance Act, and the expungement of records for <br />those previously convicted of federal crimes for the distribution, possession, or use of marijuana, as well as <br />authorize state legalization policies and enabling the use of marijuana for medical purposes, including in <br />federally funded programs. <br /> <br />This the 15th day of September, 2020. <br /> <br />__________________________________ <br />Penny Rich, Chair <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />2