Some Californians are using Twitter as a platform to discuss the much-anticipated legalization of marijuana. They hope it will bring some social justice to the country’s minorities.
The Silver Lake-based Mikel Jollet, frontman of the U.S. indie rock band the Airborne Toxic Event, sparked some debate after claiming that the overwhelming majority of marijuana dispensaries are “owned by white people.” But makeup only a small portion of the federal prison population in comparison to blacks and Latinos, who “rot in jail.”
The 43 year-old-singer, who has 151 thousand followers on Twitter, received some support, with one Twitter user strongly opposed to the marked difference in terms of treatment. She replied: “Rule: Only the white man can profit from pain.”
With another user, bringing another point of how the “opioid epidemic” is “affecting mostly white ppl,” adding “I never heard the same outrage about inner-city crack use which disproportionately affects [people of color] POC. For that problem States just build more jails.”
99% of pot dispensaries are owned by white people but they only make up 24% of the federal prison population for marijuana sales.
Get it?
White people get rich selling something for which black and latino people rot in jail.
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) December 28, 2017
Americans are feeling the brunt of what they call the “opioid crisis.” They have sounded the alarm over how heroin addicts are using legal painkillers, which contain opiates.
On Wednesday, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan signed a 10-bill package to reduce his state’s increasingly growing opioid addiction by requiring doctors and the state to better track and control the flow of opioid-based prescription drugs.
However, black activists are now criticizing that when opioid addiction became a “white problem,” loud voices were heard urging to use tax money to pay for the rehabilitation of victims. In contrast, people of color received a rather harsh response and not much compassion.
The Santa Monica-based Ross Gerber ranked as one of the most influential investment advisors and Fintech innovators in America with at least 45 thousand followers on Twitter, also unleashed his frustration in a tweet.
Gerber, also Co-Founder, President and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, dubbed marijuana legalization in California as “huge.”
“Finally some social justice against minority Jim Crow oppression,” he added, in reference to the state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the southern part of the United States from the late 19th century till 1965.
A story not to ignore. #weed becomes legal in #California in 4 days. This is huge! An enormous economic positive. Finally some social justice against minority Jim Crow oppression. Big money will be made. ‘Legalize it’ is finally a reality. $smg $stz #cannabis #420 #BobMarley
— Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) December 28, 2017
So far, the State of California is working to offer people, convicted of marijuana crimes, a second chance by clearing their criminal records or reduce charges.
The Drug Policy Alliance, a drug law reform group, which helped pass California medical marijuana in 1996, said there have been 500,000 arrests for marijuana offenses in California in the past 10 years, and it estimates that up to a million people have reviewable convictions on their records.
