Just over 1,000 people were sentenced federally in 2020 for violating marijuana trafficking laws. That’s down 67 percent since 2016, and over 80 percent since 2012 – when Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize and regulate the adult-use marijuana market.
The government funding proposal put forth by President Biden simultaneously contains both positive and negative aspects when it comes to marijuana policy reform efforts in the appropriations realm.
The Act repeals the long-standing federal prohibition of marijuana — thereby ending the existing state/federal conflict in cannabis policies and providing state governments with greater authority to regulate marijuana-related activities.
Representatives David Joyce and Don Young have introduced legislation to remove marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act, thereby repealing the federal prohibition of cannabis and making states the primary regulators of the plant.
Today, the bipartisan Marijuana Data Collection Act was introduced, led by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Rand Paul (R-KY) and U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) and Don Young (R-AK).
Today, a bipartisan group of 44 representatives sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee calling for the upcoming FY 2022 spending package to build upon existing policy for state-legal medical marijuana programs and expand protections to include adult-use marijuana marketplaces now in effect in 17 states.
Last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki reiterated the President’s position that cannabis should be rescheduled under federal law to Schedule II rather than descheduled from the Controlled Substances Act… Tonight, President Biden will be delivering his first major address to Congress and to the American people to discuss his vision and priorities for the rest of his first presidential term.
Just one week ago, the SAFE Banking Act passed once again in the U.S. House of Representatives with overwhelming, bipartisan support by a vote of 321 to 101, with every Democrat and the majority of Republicans voting in support. As the lead sponsor of this legislation, I am appreciative of the tens-of-thousands of messages that NORML members from around the country have sent to their lawmakers in support of my bill.