Some of the biggest names in hip hop and sports have come together in hopes to reform laws regarding the use and possession of marijuana. As Fox 13 reported, Drake, Meek Mill, Killer Mike and Ty Dolla $ign were among the 150 celebrities who requested President Biden’s assistance in commuting the sentences of all nonviolent cannabis offenders in the U.S.
The 25-page-letter — which has also been backed by Quavo, Kodak Black, Dave East, T.I. and 2 Chainz — was mailed to the White House on Tuesday (Sept. 14). It reportedly details reasons why the prisoners should be pardoned and mentions enacted state laws that permit the use of marijuana.
“Whatever one thinks of other drugs and other defendants, incarcerating marijuana offenders in federal prisons is a misuse of our nation’s resources and grossly hypocritical, given that a clear majority of Americans oppose marijuana prohibition and about half admit to using the drug during their lifetime,” the letter reads.
“It also stands against the arc of history and the principle of federalism: nearly three-quarters of the states have now abandoned the federal government’s blanket criminal ban in favor of safe, regulated legal access to marijuana for adults and/or those with qualifying medical conditions.”
Furthermore, the letter states some of the long lasting impacts a federal conviction can have on the prisoner’s life post-prison.
“The harms of incarceration are obvious, but the pains of federal marijuana convictions transcend prison walls, making it more difficult for someone to get a job, access affordable housing and receive an education,” the note continues. “A conviction can forever limit an individual’s constitutional rights and can put the American dream further out of reach for an entire family.”
The letter to Biden comes nearly five months after many of the same artists pushed for Ralo to be granted clemency. The incarcerated rapper — who faces two federal counts of intent to distribute marijuana — is one of the many people they want POTUS to pardon.
“It’s just not right that corporations are allowed to violate federal law and become millionaires while people like myself go to prison for years,” Ralo previously said of the prison system. “This is hypocrisy. But I am hopeful that Joe Biden will honor his campaign promise and grant us clemency without delay so that we can return home to our families and communities.”