Monday June 18th: Forum on Racial Justice and Marijuana Legalization at First Bethel AME Church in Paterson

First Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Paterson, Passaic NAACP, Mr. G’s Kids, Salvation and Social Justice, and Drug Policy Alliance Host Forum on Marijuana Legalization and Racial Justice

Faith Leaders, Elected Officials, Law Enforcement, Civil Rights and Racial Justice Advocates Discuss Marijuana Legalization in New Jersey

Paterson, NJ – On Monday, June 18th, the First Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Paterson, Passaic NAACP branch, Mr. G’s Kids, Salvation and Social Justice and the Drug Policy Alliance will host, “Marijuana Legalization: The Justice Side of the Debate,” at 6:30 pm at First Bethel AME Church (2 Auburn Street, Paterson, NJ 07501).

As the political debate around marijuana legalization heats up in New Jersey, the forum will focus on why legislation to legalize marijuana in New Jersey must be fair and equitable and must repair past harms to communities of color.

“It is important that everyone, especially faith leaders, consider how prohibition is negatively affecting our communities,” said Pastor Allan Boyer of First Bethel AME Church. “We must do everything we can to lift communities of color from the devastation of the war on drugs.”

“Until recently, with the passage of Proposition 64 in California, marijuana legalization initiatives have not gone far enough to repair the harms of marijuana prohibition,” said Roseanne Scotti, New Jersey State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “What we’ve seen in California is what we want to replicate here in New Jersey. Legalization legislation in New Jersey must include automatic and retroactive expungement and resentencing, meaningful access to the marijuana industry for people of color, including those with prior convictions, and investment of the tax revenue generated into those communities most harmed by marijuana prohibition.”

The forum will be facilitated by Reverend Allan Boyer, Pastor of First Bethel AME Church. Panelists include:

• Rev. Dr. Charles Boyer, Bethel AME Church, Woodbury and Salvation and Social Justice
• Regana Bracey, Mr. G’s Kids
• Jeffrey Dye, Passaic Chapter NAACP
• Councilman William McKoy, 3rd Ward, City of Paterson
• Jake Plowden, The Cannabis Cultural Association
• Roseanne Scotti, Esq., Drug Policy Alliance
• Director Jerry Speziale, Paterson Police Department
• Domenick Stampone, Esq., City of Paterson

First Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic church in Paterson, New Jersey. The Passaic NAACP branch works to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Salvation and Social Justice builds faith-rooted advocacy, perspectives, coalitions, moral frameworks and movements to support just public policy that lifts up poor, underserved and traditionally oppressed communities. The New Solutions Campaign of the Drug Policy Alliance has advocated for criminal justice reforms in New Jersey for nearly a decade. Fair and equitable marijuana legalization is the next initiative in its campaign to reform New Jersey’s broken criminal justice system.