Headcount, an independent organization, is trying to get voters registered through music. They have announced that they will be launching a campaign to legalize marijuana at the federal level. The goal of this effort is to clear thousands of records from people who have been convicted in relation to cannabis-related criminalities.

Headcount and U.S. Cannabis Council created a nationwide educational project, Cannabis in Common. This was launched on November 9th to get cannabis-friendly citizens started contacting their politicians. Sarah Silverman, who is a YouTube contributor to the announcement, describes the state of marijuana in the United States and encourages citizens to get involved.

“There’s at least one thing most Americans have in common: More than two-thirds of us agree cannabis should be legalized. And we have a real shot at getting federal legalization done now if we speak up,” Silverman says in the video. “If we don’t make a change soon, settling for laws that disproportionately land people of color in prison. We’re leaving hundreds of thousands of jobs on the table and giving up tax revenue that can go toward education and other community investments.”

Seth Rogen is also featured in another Headcount video, promoting Cannabis in Common’s efforts to make these topics a national issue. “Despite what you may have heard, Americans can actually agree on something. And that something is weed,” he said. “…You know who cannot agree on anything though? Politicians. Although 69 per cent of Americans want legal cannabis, less than half the Senators have voted in support. In fact, some won’t even say where they stand on the issue at all.”

Rogen recommends people contact their representatives over email or by telephone to draw their attention. “Legalizing cannabis for good is long past due, but if we make enough noise, we can make it happen.”

Cannabis in Common makes it easy to reach out to Senate and House Representatives. Its website allows individuals to quickly send an email and locate the telephone number of the representative they desire. Here’s a look at the positions of all state representatives on the matter.

This organization offers a variety of facts to encourage voters to voice their opinion. “36 states and D.C. have legalized cannabis in some form, but it’s still totally illegal at the federal level. But what exactly does all this translate to? That means there are thousands still in federal prison for cannabis related crimes. It means veterans can’t access medical cannabis through the VA system. This means that state-legal cannabis companies are federally criminalized. It means Congress is not listening to the American people.”

Cannabis in Common also notes that while the current Congress is “the most cannabis-friendly in history,” it’s not enough to get the support necessary to make federal legalization a reality—which is why the organization is enlisting the help of the people to push things forward. “Our core objective is to get cannabis supporters to engage in the democratic process by contacting their senators and sparking a healthy dialogue around this topic. While the evidence is overwhelming in favor of cannabis, polls don’t create change. People do.”

The bill that is referred to in Cannabis in Common’s push for legalization is the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, which was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Senator Cory Booker and Senator Ron Wyden in July 2021. “The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act aims to end the decades of harm inflicted on communities of color by removing cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances and empowering states to implement their own cannabis laws,” they wrote in a 30-page discussion of their bill.

Get involved today! Visit the Cannabis in Common website to get your voice heard.