Using marijuana for real symptoms of a troubled body, be it pain or mental illness due to PTSD, should be expunged immediately as a hurdle to voting. An individual should be able to go to the police department, ask that their arrest record be pulled up and immediately placed before a judge without a necessary hearing for removal of these issues as if a minor. The states can pass emergency legislation now to return our veterans and young people to voter roles.
The US Congress needs a bill to remove such grievances as soon as possible. There should be no proof required, simply the fact their arrest record reflects marijuana as an issue should be enough. Who knows if a person uses marijuana as recreational or self-medicating. The person should be trusted again.
A caller in Arizona who is also a veteran of Iraq made the point on "Washington Journal" the youth vote is stifled by being convicted of possessing marijuana. The former soldier sounded very sincere. He stated he cannot vote because he is a felon due to his use of marijuana.
He thinks one of the issues for the candidates is to return the vote to those convicted of a crime and have served whatever sentence was given them.
This is issue is not new and returns us to "voting rights." The man stated marijuana is legal and decriminalized in many states of the USA and it is time to recognize the egregious weight of the law when it comes to voting.
I might point out this man is alive. He also resided in Arizona. Many of our veterans are afflicted with painful injuries and PTSD. He is alive. If marijuana gave him comfort in the face of a society sadly behind the times in recognizing his illnesses due to serving as a soldier for this country. It is not his fault he finds it necessary to seek marijuana to provide relief of his symptoms.
The USA has many voting rights issues and this has to be along with discriminatory laws at the top of the list.
The US Congress needs a bill to remove such grievances as soon as possible. There should be no proof required, simply the fact their arrest record reflects marijuana as an issue should be enough. Who knows if a person uses marijuana as recreational or self-medicating. The person should be trusted again.
A caller in Arizona who is also a veteran of Iraq made the point on "Washington Journal" the youth vote is stifled by being convicted of possessing marijuana. The former soldier sounded very sincere. He stated he cannot vote because he is a felon due to his use of marijuana.
He thinks one of the issues for the candidates is to return the vote to those convicted of a crime and have served whatever sentence was given them.
This is issue is not new and returns us to "voting rights." The man stated marijuana is legal and decriminalized in many states of the USA and it is time to recognize the egregious weight of the law when it comes to voting.
I might point out this man is alive. He also resided in Arizona. Many of our veterans are afflicted with painful injuries and PTSD. He is alive. If marijuana gave him comfort in the face of a society sadly behind the times in recognizing his illnesses due to serving as a soldier for this country. It is not his fault he finds it necessary to seek marijuana to provide relief of his symptoms.
The USA has many voting rights issues and this has to be along with discriminatory laws at the top of the list.
