According to the latest numbers available from our Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Criminal Uniform Crime Reports, Minneapolis arrests roughly 1,500 people each year for marijuana offenses alone—and a big majority for simple possession. That's about four people every day in Minneapolis who get arrested for a substance that is far less harmful than alcohol and many over-the-counter drugs. As if this isn't enough, Minneapolis leads the nation in the greatest disparities in black and white marijuana possession arrest rates. |
I often wonder how we can pay for a stadium but not for the bus. |
It's a simple ordinance that the council can pass that defines what a 'high-risk' loan is and then provides counseling to those who qualify, as a way to end the many foreclosures and bankruptcies that devastate already fragile communities. |
Like other progressive cities, we can pass a resolution denouncing our nation's failed Drug War, and call for policy that de-penalizes drug users with a focus on treatment, and pass an ordinance that will de-criminalize the responsible personal use of marijuana by adults, direct our police to re-prioritize our enforcement, and level the playing field and ease the tension between cops and the people they serve. |