SB 30-16: ESCOBAR Act (Sponsor Advocacy)

[Senator Spark]

I can see the benefit of legalizing marijuana, but what is the benefit of legalizing cocaine? Could the sponsor elaborate on that?

[Senator Spark]

I can see the benefit of legalizing marijuana, but what is the benefit of legalizing cocaine? Could the sponsor elaborate on that?

Well there are a number of arguments that can be made for this, but most are up to your own political philosophy. I think the clearest argument is that the war on drugs and more specifically, the over policing of cocaine related offenses has led to devastation of minority communities in many areas. This bill would seek to remedy that by ending these decades old policies relating to the drug and releasing those unjustly prisoners for what is most often a non violent offense.

I'm all for reducing mass incarceration, but I believe that legalizing cocaine will enable it to become more accessible and cause health crises to become more commonplace. Cocaine will be more likely to be abused if it is readily available. The better way, in my view, is to reduce sentencing guidelines for drug offenses.