July 21, 2022 John,
Did you see the news out of Washington, DC, today?
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, with Senators Booker and Wyden, formally introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) to end federal marijuana prohibition. Circulated initially as a discussion draft in July 2021, the finalized version of this historic bill is now pending action in the United States Senate.
CAOA removes cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act schedule entirely, ending the threat of federal prosecution for possession and licensed commercial activity, and allows states to implement their cannabis policies free from federal interference. It also eliminates many hurdles currently facing regulated state cannabis markets, including lack of access to financial services, the inability to deduct standard business expenses when filing federal taxes, and the lack of uniform national regulatory standards and guidelines. The legislation also reinvests in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by prohibition, provides for the expungements of past criminal records, and would help improve diversity and inclusion in regulated cannabis markets.
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This bill will further facilitate ongoing discussions at the federal level, not about whether or not we should end criminal prohibition but how we should end prohibition. In the coming weeks, lawmakers will begin holding hearings to discuss the specifics of this bill, and NORML will ensure that cannabis consumers have a seat at the table. We believe that federal reforms must not unduly interfere with existing state regulatory policies, keep taxation rates reasonable and low, and address the dire impact that America’s prohibitionist policies have had on people of color and marginalized communities around the country – and we will continue to advocate and fight for these important principles.
While CAOA will be a focus of the debate at the federal level going forward this year, it is far from the only opportunity we have to reform marijuana laws across the United States. In the coming weeks, we anticipate seeing a renewed focus among members of Congress to agree upon bipartisan legislation that can pass both chambers and be signed into law, such as the SAFE Banking Act and the HOPE Act.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION ON ALL PENDING FEDERAL LEGISLATION.
Beyond the halls of Congress, we have a real opportunity to legalize marijuana for adults in several states this fall. Without having to rely on our slow-to-respond elected officials, voters in Maryland and South Dakota are already confirmed to have legalization on their midterm ballots, with North Dakota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri very likely to be joining them soon. We know that when we take the fight directly to the people, we win, and these ballot measures will represent our best opportunity in 2022 to enact real, substantial change that will improve the lives of millions of individuals and add further pressure to change federal policy.
2022 HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE MOST HISTORIC YEAR FOR MARIJUANA LAW REFORM YET. ARE YOU IN?
We are entering the home stretch with more than half of the year already behind us. Together, we have already accomplished so much, and only when we remain united will we bring legalization to every single state in the union and finally bring federal prohibition crumbling down.
Thanks for all your support; let’s go win.
Erik Altieri
NORML Executive Director
P.S. Our efforts are supported by thousands of people throughout the country as we work to advance marijuana reform in all 50 states and the federal level. Can you kick in $5, $10 or $20 a month to help us keep going?
