We must pursue social equity in all of our laws — not just some of them

Now more than ever, calls to legalize the sale and recreational use of cannabis are part of our political mainstream. Citing the economic benefits enjoyed by other states and a need to rectify past injustice, Gov. Ned Lamont recently joined this passionate chorus of politicians, medical experts and activists.

His proposal, Senate Bill 888, summarizes the need for reform and outlines an infrastructure in which these changes can happen. It needs some work to focus more energy on social equity, but it is a good start.

The strict prohibition of marijuana, begun in the 1980s during the War on Drugs, has created the most severe prison-industrial complex the world has ever seen. For decades now, Black and brown citizens have shouldered the weight of a police force all too keen on patrolling their neighborhoods while sporting weapons of war. Entire families have been devastated by the loss created by misguided stop-and-frisk policies and unreasonable legal protections for officers. In a zeal for draconian enforcement, our government sacrificed equality for all. Any move we make on this issue is incomplete without answering for this destructive past.

One solution the proposal offers is preferential licensing for those looking to enter the cannabis market. Unfortunately, that does not address the issue of the lack of capital in marginalized communities for such endeavors. This deficiency must be corrected in order to wholly commit to social justice and all of its implicit principles.

It also highlights a striking contrast at the seat of power in Hartford.

In its introduction, Senate Bill 888 argues “Once again, prohibition has failed,” and I couldn’t agree more. But if our government truly believes this, why does it seek to ban an existing substance used by millions of Americans?

Connecticut lawmakers are currently considering Senate Bill 326, a ban on flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. In a misguided bid to improve public health, our legislature wants to prevent adults from legally purchasing a product which some have enjoyed for decades, and is a cigarette of choice by over 80 percent of Black smokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I do not smoke, nor do I encourage anyone else to do so, but passing a piece of legislation won’t instantly dissuade smokers from using their products of choice. An underground market will grow to meet this demand and law enforcement will be given license to stop any smokers they encounter. The foolishness of this proposal will put Black citizens at risk of further police interference in their daily lives.

One state over, we’ve already seen this play out. Eric Garner of New York was murdered by law enforcement for selling loose cigarettes. Should Senate Bill 326 pass, I fear this tragedy will become more familiar than it already is.

If the state were serious about dissuading our citizens from smoking, they should spend more funding on educating our youth of the dangers by using the historic Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement on prevention programs. But they have not. The CDC recommended that Connecticut in 2019 spend at least $32 million of the $124.5 million from the settlement on programs to curb smoking. Instead, our state spent less than 1 percent, and ranks dead last in state spending, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

In the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “In the end, for laws to be obeyed, men must believe they are right.” Our lawmakers offer no reason why a ban on flavored tobacco will differ from prohibitions of our past. The incongruity of their proposal to legalize one substance while outlawing another shows the false pretense of social justice within which our leaders operate.

We ought to embed every law we consider with our desire for racial equity. For too long, public policy has been waved through without due consideration of its effects on the lives of Black and brown Americans. Connecticut can reaffirm its long-held values by rejecting public policy like Senate Bill 326, which will exacerbate longtime issues between marginalized communities and law enforcement.

The Rev. Boise Kimber is a pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven, and a civil rights leader throughout Connecticut. He is a member of the board of directors for the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network and the Conference of National Black Churches. He is also the executive director for the National Baptist Convention.