WHO WE ARE
Artists for 64 is a coalition of artists who have come together to support California’s Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, a voter initiative for the November 2016 ballot that will control, regulate and tax responsible adult use, sale and cultivation of marijuana in California.
Artists for 64 joins an unprecedented coalition of bipartisan supporters of this initiative, including: California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Academy of Preventative Medicine, California Nurses Association, the United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council, California Medical Association, United Farm Workers, California State NAACP, the Courage Campaign, Equality California, the National Latino Officers Association, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and leading activists Michelle Alexander, Dorsey Nunn and Susan Burton. The purpose of Artists for 64 is to help pass this historic initiative that will strengthen communities and end the selective and aggressive enforcement of marijuana possession that has contributed to California’s booming prison system
Proposition 64 will alleviate California’s overburdened criminal justice system and directly roll back America’s failed War on Drugs. Over the last decade, nearly half a million Californians have been arrested for low-level pot-related crimes. As Olivia Wilde, stated, “I am shocked and saddened by the harm that marijuana criminalization brings, especially for communities of color. Being a mother, I’m deeply invested in reform that will lead to a more just and peaceful world for all our kids. It’s time to end the harm.”
“This November, there are many important reasons why we should go to the polls. In California, the question on whether to legalize marijuana for adult use is a policy change that will have a lasting impact on historically marginalized communities. Marijuana laws have been used as a tool by law enforcement to racially profile, harass, intimidate and criminalize mostly young African American and Latino men for decades. Ending the arrest and conviction of adults who use and sell marijuana is a social justice issue and simply a smart, sensible and practical policy solution for the mass arrests in and the over surveillance of racially targeted communities. Prop. 64 creates a safe, legal system for use of marijuana. Legalization is about reducing harm by expunging the records of those arrested for possession or sale of small amounts of marijuana, offering drug counseling and treatment, investing revenues in repairing communities damaged by a flawed policy and safeguarding poor and vulnerable communities from over-surveillance and criminalization. If we truly care about radically reducing the number of people in our jails and prisons for nonviolent recreational use of marijuana; the consequential destabilization to families and communities; and, the crisis of prisoner re-entry into over-policed and economically neglected communities – Prop 64 is an opportunity to send a strong public policy message. Please vote YES on Prop. 64.”