Pro-pot lobby hopeful for positive message from pope

Pope Francis’s calls for criminal justice reform could give marijuana legalization advocates an unlikely ally in their fight to overhaul what they see as the nation’s outdated drug laws.

The religious figure is expected to condemn heavy-handed prison sentencing laws during his speech Thursday to Congress. The pope will draw attention to the issue again later in the week when he visits a federal prison in Philadelphia.

{mosads}A social activist, Francis has been instrumental in pushing for criminal justice reform across the globe — a key component of which is softening oppressive marijuana laws, advocates say.

But the pope isn’t exactly high on dope. He has previously lamented the “evils” of drug addiction and suggested that pot legalization is “highly questionable.”

Still, marijuana advocates are hopeful for a bump in support.

“Any attention the pope brings to mass incarceration and racial disparities will boost marijuana reform efforts, because marijuana arrests are a gateway to the criminal justice system for many,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance. 

“Can’t fix mass incarceration without addressing the criminalization and prohibition of marijuana,” he added.

The pope’s visit to the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia on Sunday will raise awareness about the 2.3 million-some inmates locked up in U.S. prisons.

He has criticized a number of aspects of the criminal justice system, from solitary confinement to life sentences and the death penalty — yet he has been slow to come around on drug policy.

Repealing the nation’s prohibition on marijuana would go a long way toward fixing the criminal justice system, advocates say. They suggest many of these inmates are serving long prison sentences for non-violent crimes, such as smoking marijuana. 

Such prison sentencing procedures unfairly target African-Americans and Hispanics, who are more likely to be arrested for smoking pot than white people, advocates say.

“The pope should understand the moral and spiritual impact of locking people in cages for consensual acts that aren’t crimes,” said Dan Riffle, director of federal policies at the Marijuana Policy Project. 

“He’s absolutely right that we should combat addiction, but the vast majority of people who use marijuana aren’t addicted and don’t go on to use other drugs, yet they can still be arrested and prosecuted, and denied education or employment opportunities as a result,” he added.

“There’s nothing moral about our system of mass incarceration, which has put way too many people behind bars for too long for no good reason,” added Tom Angell, chairman of the Marijuana Majority. “So it makes sense that a growing number of religious leaders and people of faith are calling for reforms, particularly when it comes to draconian drug policies. … It will be interesting to see if the pope chooses to shine a spotlight on this.”

The pope’s visit comes amid congressional efforts to reform the criminal justice system.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is “very close” to announcing a bipartisan agreement that takes aim at so-called mandatory minimum prison sentences that require judges to lock up non-violent criminals for years on end, a committee aide told The Hill.

Similar legislation in the House is being spearheaded by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and the top Democrat on the committee, Rep. John Conyers (Mich.). 

Both bills are expected to be introduced later this year, and will likely focus on reducing prison sentences for non-violent offenders and restoring voting rights for convicted felons who have been released.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who is pushing legislation that would loosen federal marijuana laws, championed the pope’s contributions to criminal justice reform earlier this week.

“During his time in the United States, Pope Francis has chosen to do something that I think is extraordinary — to visit with the imprisoned,” Booker said on the Senate floor.

“This step by the pope is an extraordinary accomplishment in bringing a further highlight to the challenges we have in the United States with our criminal justice system,” he added.

Criminal justice reformers hope the pope’s visit will give momentum to the legislation.

“Calling for major criminal justice reform would probably be the one thing the pope could say that Democrats and Republicans would both support,” Piper said.