Statement from Steve Hawkins, MPP’s executive director, on the latest federal cannabis reform bill, the Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses, and Medical Professionals Act:
Washington, DC — On Wednesday, Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Don Young (R-AK) introduced the Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses, and Medical Professionals Act, a bill that would federally legalize cannabis.
In response to this news, Steve Hawkins, the executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project, released the following statement:
“With an overwhelming majority of Americans supporting the end of cannabis prohibition, it’s clear that our country has a mandate to create a legal industry that supports both medical and adult-use. It’s a bi-partisan issue and The Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses, and Medical Professionals Act introduced today by Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Don Young (R-AK) is a promising step forward.
“MPP is hopeful that subsequent negotiations and versions of this bill will include robust social justice and equity provisions to address the devastation caused by prohibition and the failed War on Drugs. Federal legalization must be drafted and regulated to provide social and economic justice for the millions of lives upended by discrimination and unequal enforcement. By including those most harmed, we can build an equitable, well-regulated, and inclusive cannabis industry from the ground up.”
Steven Hawkins
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About MPP: The Marijuana Policy Project is the nation’s leading cannabis policy organization. It has been advocating for federal cannabis reform since its founding in 1995, and it has played a leading role in the majority of state-level cannabis victories over the past two decades. For more information, visit https://www.mpp.org.