Sen. Cory Booker urged fellow lawmakers to "follow the lead of states around the country and legalize cannabis for adult use and create a comprehensive taxation and regulatory scheme."
Legalization implies decriminalization and more. Decriminalized but not legalized substances are still banned, but they just carry civil penalties instead of criminal ones (so like a small fine instead of a massive fine and/or jail time). With legalization, the substance is unbanned entirely and can be sold by legal businesses or private citizens on the legal market, though subject to whatever other regulations apply to it.
It won’t stop cops from harassing minorities or anyone they don’t like because they don’t need a reason to do so and will make up one to try to get away with it. But it will remove a common excuse to harass them.
Legalization implies decriminalization and more. Decriminalized but not legalized substances are still banned, but they just carry civil penalties instead of criminal ones (so like a small fine instead of a massive fine and/or jail time). With legalization, the substance is unbanned entirely and can be sold by legal businesses or private citizens on the legal market, though subject to whatever other regulations apply to it.
It won’t stop cops from harassing minorities or anyone they don’t like because they don’t need a reason to do so and will make up one to try to get away with it. But it will remove a common excuse to harass them.