Advocates rally to legalize cannabis on Repeal Day

Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network and Delaware NORML recently hosted a Repeal Day Rally at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand.

Marking the 88th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition, the Dec. 4 event aimed to raise awareness on why those organizations think it is past time to repeal cannabis prohibition in Delaware.

“Cannabis prohibition comes with all of the same inherent harms and failures as alcohol prohibition – it simply doesn’t work, no matter how many decades of enforcement our lawmakers throw at it,” said Zoë Patchell, event organizer and executive director of Delaware CAN. “Prohibition continues to harm so many people and communities in Delaware, yet our lawmakers sit complacently by and allow this to continue each and every year. Meanwhile, other states, including many mid-Atlantic states, have repealed their draconian laws and are now implementing reforms to begin to right the wrongs caused by this historically failed policy.”

In addition to the Rehoboth rally, there was a rally in Wilmington earlier in the day. The rallies featured speeches from local activists and community leaders, and highlighted stories of those who have been impacted by cannabis prohibition.

Event organizers encouraged rally participants to take action on HB150, the cannabis legalization bill that is pending in the Delaware Legislature. The measure, which was introduced in March and passed two house committees, would end cannabis offenses and legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, while also expunging the records of those with past cannabis offenses and offering economic opportunities for individuals and communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of prohibition.

Advocates want the bill voted on by the General Assembly in early 2022, when the Legislature returns to session. A University of Delaware poll shows 61 percent of Delawareans support legalizing cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol.