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A WGVU initiative in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation using on-air programs and community events to explore issues of inclusion and equity.

The legalization of Marijuana as a human rights issue

Tami Vandenberg

Medical Marijuana activist, and local business owner, Tami Vandenberg says legalizing marijuana is about the criminal justice system. 

“An astounding amount of people in the criminal justice system are there for small amounts of drugs, possession. I mean, you know, you are looking at probably half to three quarters of the people that are incarcerated right now.” 

47% percent of Americans admit to using some kind of illegal at some point during their lifetime, explains Vandenberg, but the situation gets a little more complicated when you are a person of color.

“The less money you had and the darker your skin color you were exponentially more likely to have some time of a charge, and then where that road led you was you were not able to get employment form anywhere that screened out people with felonies.” 

Vandenberg, who previously worked as the Executive Director of Well House, an organization focused on providing affordable housing options, sees a correlation between the criminalization of marijuana and homelessness. 

“Looking at barriers to housing a big thing we saw was misdemeanors and felonies. A huge amount of these felonies are possession or quote on quote selling.”

Even though not everyone agrees the debate on legalizing marijuana is about criminal justice and individual rights, one thing is for certain Michigan is closer than ever to the possibility of legalizing medical marijuana.  

Michelle Jokisch Polo, WGVU News. 

*Mariano Avila contributed to this story.

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