U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Will Co-Sponsor Marijuana Justice Act

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) will announce his co-sponsorship of the Marijuana Justice Act in a Facebook Live video later today, May 23. He will become the fifth U.S. senator to sign on as a co-sponsor, joining U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker originally introduced the bill in August 2017.

Read our Marijuana Justice Act explainer here.

"Leaders in the Democratic Party are increasingly recognizing that leading the charge on legalization is not only good policy, but good politics," Justin Strekal, political director of NORML, told Forbes. "The constituencies which the party claims to stand for are the ones who have most felt the weight of prohibition and the lifelong consequences of prohibition." 

Merkley will announce his co-sponsorship in a Facebook Live video at 2 p.m. EST. We'll be sharing the video on our own pages at Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary. Follow us and join the conversation!