Costs and Consequences of Marijuana Arrests for Parents and their Children

The collateral consequences of a marijuana arrest extend beyond the individual facing the arrest. When an individual also happens to be a parent, their children are also directly impacted. Across the United States and in New York, the tide is turning against marijuana prohibition—however, resolutions to deal with collateral consequences have stalled. As marijuana laws have evolved, the family law system has not kept pace. These consequences associated with a marijuana conviction--which disproportionately impact Black and Latino New Yorkers--frequently undermine the ability of thousands of parents across the state to provide stable environments in which their children have access to everything they need to develop properly and discover the unique contributions they each can make to society. Join us for a community discussion about how we can use marijuana reform as a platform to improve the family law system and keep families together. Speakers include: - Joyce McMillan, Child Welfare Organizing Project - Lee Wang, Immigrant Defense Project - Amber Khan, National Advocates for Pregnant Women - Chris Gottlieb, NYU School of Law Family Defense Clinic - Nila Natarajan, Brooklyn Defender Services Family Defense Practice Moderated by Dinah Ortiz, Parent Advocate Supervisor with the Family Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders