Cannabis media are getting excited about nothing in particular
GOP Rep. Dave Joyce and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries teamed up on the PREPARE Act to create a regulatory structure for cannabis.
Two U.S. representatives are once again working across the aisle on legislation to foster a smooth transition to a federally legalized cannabis market.
Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., announced April 17 that they reintroduced the Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult Use Regulated Environment (PREPARE) Act.
The legislation intends to create a fair, honest and transparent process for the federal government to establish effective regulations when cannabis is “inevitably” legalized in the U.S. More specifically, the bill would allow experts to weigh in on the best pathway to transition from the current state-by-state patchwork of legalization to an interstate market.
These experts would include industry stakeholders, criminal justice reform advocates, substance use advocates, health care experts, state cannabis regulators, state and tribal justice departments, and the public.
This process would equip lawmakers in Washington with an understanding of how to implement reform without reinventing the wheel. Absent engagement with industry experts, it is unlikely Congress will establish policies that align with American interests, the representatives said.
“Currently, nearly all 50 states have legalized or enacted cannabis to some degree, bringing us closer to the inevitable end to federal cannabis prohibition,” Joyce said in a press release. “Recognizing this reality, the PREPARE Act delivers a bipartisan plan. With this legislation, Congress would be equipped to develop a much-needed federal regulatory framework that not only respects the unique needs, rights and laws of each state but also ensures a responsible end to prohibition and a safer future for our communities.”
This marks the third Congress that Joyce and Jeffries are working on the PREPARE Act, after first introducing the legislation in April 2022 and again in April 2023. The previous rendition of the bill never picked up steam after being referred to the committee process.
The legislation comes at a time when 24 states have legalized adult-use cannabis, 15 states have solely legalized medical cannabis, and nine states have loosened their prohibition laws but still have severely limited access to medical cannabis or certain constituents of the plant. Meanwhile, Idaho and Kansas have maintained prohibition policies to the fullest.
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