WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR)’s co-executive director, Shanita Penny, was recently featured in the Washington Post with a Letter to the Editor titled, “Moore’s marijuana pardons are a start. Next: sane federal policy.”
In her letter, Shanita highlights Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s decision to pardon individuals convicted of possession and emphasizes the need for comprehensive federal cannabis reform. She underscores the bipartisan Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act as a crucial step towards aligning federal policy with state laws, supporting legal cannabis businesses, and ensuring safe and effective legal markets.
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Moore’s marijuana pardons are a start. Next: sane federal policy.
The June 24 editorial, “Maryland does justice to pardons,” in praise of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s (D) decision to clear the records of citizens convicted of marijuana possession, correctly highlights the positive impacts of legalization and clemency for low-level offenses. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that cannabis reform requires not just the actions of individual states, but comprehensive federal action.
A recent Pew Research Center poll reveals that 88 percent of U.S. adults believe marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use. In the absence of action on Capitol Hill, states have taken the lead, demonstrating the need for national legislation that aligns with their progressive policies. This overwhelming public support underscores the need for Congress to do what only the federal government can: pass legislation to offer states and researchers clarity, and to support legal operators while undermining illegal markets.
We commend President Biden’s actions, including his 2022 pardons for people convicted of federal and D.C. simple-possession offenses and his support for rescheduling cannabis. These steps are commendable, but significant work still needs to be done. Bipartisan legislation such as the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (States) Act represents a critical opportunity to bridge the gap between state and federal policies on cannabis. The bill would resolve the banking access and capital lending issues that have made it harder for legal marijuana businesses to thrive, give law enforcement assistance to states that have chosen not to legalize or decriminalize marijuana, and make it easier for researchers to study marijuana. By aligning federal policy with state regulations, the States Act ensures safer legal cannabis markets and supports states that have chosen to legalize medicinal and adult-use cannabis while protecting those that have opted to maintain prohibition.
Importantly, this legislation also garners support from law enforcement organizations such as the Peace Officers Research Association of California and the Oregon Coalition of Police and Sheriffs. Their endorsements mark the first time these leading law enforcement groups have supported cannabis legislation.
It is vital that we rectify the injustices of past marijuana convictions. But we also have to look forward. The States Act is a pivotal step toward creating a coherent and effective national cannabis policy that will allow legal cannabis markets to operate safely and efficiently, provide economic benefits and avoid the mistakes and unfairness of the past.
Shanita Penny, Washington The writer is co-executive director of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education and Regulation. |
About CPEARFounded in 2021, CPEAR strives to be a trusted, science-driven resource for lawmakers and the broader stakeholder community. The coalition consists of members representing regulated industries, academics, think tanks, public safety officials, medical and mental health professionals, financial services firms, and social equity organizations, all developing policy and building a national conversation on federal cannabis regulation. |
