Statement from Cannabis Trade Federation CEO Neal Levine
WASHINGTON — House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) are filing legislation Tuesday that seeks to end federal cannabis prohibition and counteract several of the harms it has caused over the past several decades.
In summary, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 would remove marijuana from the federal drug schedules of the Controlled Substances Act, order the expungement of past cannabis convictions, and ensure no person is denied federal public benefits or protections as a result their past or present cannabis use. It also includes provisions for taxing cannabis sales and using the funds for small business loans and other programs that promote social equity in the cannabis industry, as well as support services for individuals adversely impacted by the war on drugs.
Statement from Neal Levine, CEO of the Cannabis Trade Federation:
“We applaud Chairman Nadler for introducing this historic piece of legislation. It is a momentous sign of progress to have the chair of the Judiciary Committee introduce a bill to fully end prohibition, and we are grateful for his support. With both the chair and the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee supporting major cannabis policy reform, the end of federal cannabis prohibition is undoubtedly near.
“A strong and steadily growing majority of Americans believe it is time to end our nation’s failed experiment with cannabis prohibition. There are thousands of state-regulated cannabis businesses operating around the country, employing hundreds of thousands of workers and generating billions of dollars in tax revenue. They deserve fair treatment under the law, and that is one of the goals this legislation seeks to achieve.”