End Racist Marijuana Arrests in ATL: Call and Tweet-in!

After a year of community pressure, on Monday, October 2, the Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative will turn up to demand that Atlanta City Council repeal racism and reclassify possession of marijuana. Under the current city ordinance, Possession of Marijuana under 1oz could result in 6 months in jail, and a fine of up to $1,000. The proposed ordinance would make Possession of Marijuana under 1oz a non-arrestable offense and lower the fine from up to $1,000 to a maximum of $75. Cant Join us at City Council? /////////////////////////////////TAKE ACTION///////////////////////////////// Talking Points to Reclassify Marijuana Possession under 1oz and REPEAL RACISM: Sample Tweet Script: @ATLCouncil needs to join the cities & states across the country ending the drug war & mass incarceration #NoMoreDrugWar We’ve seen police approaching ppl b/c of weed lead to the death of young Black people like DeAundre Phillips. #NoMoreDrugWar It’s wrong that people can spend up to 6 months in jail/be fined $1000 for possessing the smallest amount of marijuana #NoMoreDrugWar Sample Call Script: "My name is _____, I am a resident in your district [or a resident of Atlanta or I do business in Atlanta or I am a student in Atlanta] and I am asking you to vote "yes" on 17-O-1152 to repeal racism in our city by reclassifying “marijuana possession under 1oz” to make it a non-arrestable offense! /// I am very concerned that over 90% of small marijuana possession arrests of are Black people despite the evidence that Black, white, and Latin@ people use marijuana at the same rate. This is clearly an issue of racial profiling and biased policing and the city must take action to stop it. /// I am opposed to the City and APD using our tax dollars to make hundreds of racially biased arrests on these types of charges each year. I do not feel that these arrests make me or my family safer. I actually think they make us less safe by eroding trust between the community and the police, disrupting lives and therefore families and communities, and by giving people a criminal record that makes it harder for them to find housing and work in the future. /// I think it’s wrong that a person can spend 180 days in jail for possessing the smallest amount of marijuana and/or be fined $1000. That’s just ridiculous. Atlanta needs to join the cities and states across the country who are ending the criminalization of marijuana and doing their part to end the drug war and mass incarceration. /// Police Violence is a big issue in this city, I don’t think Police should be approaching people simply because of the suspicion of weed. We’ve seen this lead to the killing of young Black people like DeAundre Phillips. The killing has got to stop! Priority Council Members: Call the following council members to urge them to vote yes: Natalyn Archibong, District 5: (404) 330-6048 @NMArchibong Alex Wan, District 6: (404) 330-6049 @AlexWanforATL Joyce M. Shepherd, District 12: (404) 330-6053 @joycesheperd Call the following council members to thank them for their support: Kwanza Hall, District 2 (404) 330-6038 [email protected] Ivory Young, District 3 (404) 330-6046 [email protected] Mary Norwood, At-large (404) 330-6302 [email protected] Carla Smith, District 1: (404) 330-6039 [email protected] Felicia Moore, District 9 (404) 330-6044 [email protected] Call the following council members and tell them you're disappointed in their lack of support: Michael J Bond, At Large: 404 330 6770 [email protected] @michael_J_Bond C.T. Martin, District 10: 404 330 6055 Yolanda Adrean, District 8:404 330 6051 [email protected] @yadrean Cleta Winslow, District 4:404 330 6047 [email protected] Council Meeting: 1pm-5pm City Council Chambers #RepealRacism #NoMoreDrugWar