{"id":56136,"date":"2022-07-26T10:31:33","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T18:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2022\/07\/26\/senators-discuss-marijuana-reform-at-historic-hearing-following-legalization-bill-introduction\/"},"modified":"2022-07-26T20:45:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T04:45:45","slug":"senators-discuss-marijuana-reform-at-historic-hearing-following-legalization-bill-introduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2022\/07\/26\/senators-discuss-marijuana-reform-at-historic-hearing-following-legalization-bill-introduction\/","title":{"rendered":"Senators Discuss Marijuana Reform At Historic Hearing Following Legalization Bill Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Senators on a key Judiciary subcommittee met on Tuesday to discuss marijuana reform, a first-of-its-kind meeting in the chamber. Members touched on a wide range of cannabis issues as Congress continues to explore legislative options to end prohibition.<\/p>\n

Five witnesses\u2014including former federal cannabis prisoner Weldon Angelos and marijuana alarmist Alex Berenson\u2014testified before the panel, which is chaired by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m chairing a Senate hearing on decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level. We are closer than ever to making progress on this issue and ensuring justice for Americans who have been victims of the War on Drugs. https:\/\/t.co\/Ql9sasNsFk<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) July 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cWe see now clearly that cannabis laws are unevenly unforced and, often, unfortunately devastate the lives of those most vulnerable,\u201d Booker said in his opening remarks. \u201cIt\u2019s clear that prohibition has not worked 50 years after the Controlled Substances Act was passed to stamp out the sale of cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a witnesses and subcommittee members representing a wide range of perspectives<\/a>, the conversations ran the gamut. Members and witnesses discussed issues such as racial disparities in marijuana enforcement, the long-term collateral consequences of cannabis convictions, law enforcement considerations and the therapeutic potential of marijuana, for example.<\/span><\/p>\n

But a newly filed cannabis legalization bill sponsored by Booker, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) was a centerpiece of the hearing.<\/p>\n

That bill is the \u201ctype of comprehensive solution we need when it comes to correcting our nation\u2019s broken broken cannabis laws,\u201d Booker said. \u201cAt this critical juncture, it\u2019s time to expand our horizons and not shrink back to a status quo that has caused far too much damage to far too many Americans.\u201d
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not about Democrat versus Republican or right versus left. America themselves have spoken,\u201d the chairman said. \u201cThis is about America\u2014what is right and what is wrong. Ending federal prohibition is the first step that we can take to undo the immeasurable damage caused by the failed war on drugs and decades of mass criminalization, mass incarceration and the deep pain it\u2019s caused to communities and families and our children.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism first posted a notice of the hearing last week<\/a>, just days before the three sponsors released the long-awaited Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act (CAOA).<\/p>\n

Watch the hearing\u2014titled \u201cDecriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms\u201d\u2014in the video below:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), chair of the full Judiciary Committee, also spoke at Tuesday\u2019s hearing, stating that \u201cit\u2019s clear that, like much of the failed war on drugs, the criminal enforcement approach to marijuana regulation has resulted in serious injustice.\u201d He also stressed that lawmakers must ensure that any reform legislation that advances includes clear components to prevent underage use.<\/p>\n

Angelos previewed his prepared testimony in an op-ed for Marijuana Moment<\/a> that was published on Monday. He described his experience being convicted over a federal cannabis conviction and serving 13 years in prison before being released in 2016 and receiving a full presidential pardon four years later. He told senators that there\u2019s an immediate need for congressional action to right the wrongs of prohibition.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a comprehensive approach to cannabis reform, we could immediately assist many of the nearly 3,000 people serving federal prison time for cannabis offenses, as well as the tens of thousands of individuals whose lives and futures are haunted by records of cannabis arrests, convictions, and sentences,\u201d Angelos said.<\/p>\n

He added that \u201cCongress must also address the residual effects of cannabis convictions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose with felony convictions can be politically disenfranchised, losing the right to vote or to serve on juries, for instance,\u201d he said. \u201cThey lose other civil liberties like the right to possess a firearm legally, as well as lawful opportunities afforded to others in education and in public housing, among other things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEach day in incarceration severely affects the mental and physical health of incarcerated individuals, and negatively impacts their relationships with the outside world. And each arrest, prosecution, conviction and sentence makes the world a little bit smaller for those who must live their lives bearing the modern scarlet letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durbin applauded Angelos, saying that he wasn\u2019t a \u201cwitness\u201d but a \u201clegend\u201d whose story has helped shape congressional understanding of flaws in the criminal sentencing system. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has repeatedly discussed Angelos\u2019s case with colleagues to \u201cremind us that what seems like thoughtful, meaningful sentencing can spin completely out of control,\u201d Durbin said.<\/p>\n

But while the substance of Angelos\u2019s testimony spoke clearly to the hearing topic at hand, advocates are frustrated with the Republican minority\u2019s decision to select Berenson as a witness given his history of playing the contrarian and stirring controversy with questionable claims about issues like cannabis and COVID.<\/p>\n

Berenson, who authored a 2019 book that attempts to link marijuana use to psychosis and violent crime, gave little indication ahead of the hearing that he intended to temper his rhetoric before the panel.<\/p>\n

\n

The potheads \u2013 I\u2019m sorry, I mean careful users of an unfairly maligned if not actually miraculous drug! \u2013 have just heard I\u2019ll be speaking about cannabis and psychosis before Congress. And they are sad.<\/p>\n

Sad potheads are the saddest.<\/p>\n

Lucky they can just spark up more \u201cmedicine.\u201d https:\/\/t.co\/UxJ6O75WEX<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) July 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The author said in his testimony that cannabis use is associated with greater risk of developing serious mental illness, and thus, \u201cthe legalization or promotion of any drug that may raise the risk of schizophrenia is fraught with risk.\u201d He claimed that \u201cthe cannabis industry and legalization advocates have done everything possible to play down the connection between cannabis and mental illness and to criticize or mock those who bring it to light.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cotton, the ranking member on the subcommittee, argued in his opening remarks that marijuana remains federally illegal because \u201cit has no accepted medical use\u201d and \u201cit\u2019s dangerous and it\u2019s addictive.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Tune in here to watch the Senate Judiciary Committee\u2019s hearing on marijuana and its connection to the crime wave:https:\/\/t.co\/EXJBO397IW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) July 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The senator claimed that Booker\u2019s CAOA bill \u201cwould be an enormous gift to the cartels and the gangs and in the midst of a nationwide violent crime surge,\u201d in part because of equity provisions such as expungements for prior, non-violent cannabis convictions.<\/p>\n

He also addressed Berenson and asked him why he felt that his book on cannabis was poorly received by the industry, to which the witness responded that \u201cpeople have waged a campaign to legalize for a long time\u201d and \u201cthe industry seems to see itself as this outside countercultural force and reacts extremely strongly when you try to discuss the real downsides to this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other witnesses<\/a> included Malik Burnett, a pro-legalization physician who formerly worked for the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), and Steve Cook, a former federal prosecutor with a drug warrior reputation. Also testifying was Edward Jackson, who serves as chief of police at the Annapolis Police Department and is a member of the pro-reform group Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP).<\/p>\n

Burnett noted that, three years ago, he testified before House lawmakers on marijuana reform issues\u2014but little has changed since then.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt unfortunately remains an unmitigated fact that the state of cannabis policy today is best described as a tale of two Americas, where the wealthy, white and well connected are able to consume cannabis, start companies, create jobs, amass significant personal wealth and generate billions in tax revenue for states with sanctioned cannabis programs, while the poor, the marginalized and people of color are arrested for merely possessing the cannabis plant and subject to the collateral consequences associated with a criminal conviction,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

He recommended enhancing certain provisions of CAOA, including by creating funding incentives for police to deprioritize cannabis enforcement in states where it remains criminalized.<\/p>\n

\u201cAround the country, people\u2014including police\u2014are realizing that there is nothing inherently violent about selling, possessing or using cannabis,\u201d Jackson said in his testimony. \u201cProhibition is what fuels violence and crime, not cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFortunately, the United States Senate has an opportunity to address this tragic and unnecessary violence by ending federal cannabis prohibition with the Cannabis Administration Opportunity Act, which would remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances,\u201d he said, adding that it would \u201chelp our police refocus our efforts on higher priorities than cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also asked questions of the witnesses about how our scientific understanding of the medical potential of cannabis has evolved since it was federally prohibited decades ago, racial disparities in marijuana enforcement and the need to free up barriers to medical cannabis for military veterans.<\/p>\n

Just before the close of the hearing, Booker asked Burnett whether he had any \u201cconcerns\u201d about the \u201ceconomics of legalization,\u201d particularly as it relates to small business and minority participation in the industry. He also mentioned the potential equity limitations of reform proposals like the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act.<\/p>\n

Burnett said that he has \u201csignificant concerns\u201d and that it\u2019s \u201ccritical that the strategy that the federal government takes is to allow an incremental process for the engagement around interstate commerce\u201d when cannabis is eventually legalized.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re not independently wealthy and have a significant amount of personal cash to be able to weather the current economic environment, your business is going to go under,\u201d Burnett said. \u201cAnd so as we move forward, being able to understand the distribution of supply and demand and the protection of the small- and minority-owned businesses within nascent states, to be able to allow them to flourish, is a critical component that we have to keep in mind as we move forward on the federal level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Booker has said that he supports passing cannabis banking legislation but has expressed concerns about passing what is seen as an industry-focused measure before enacting broader, justice-focused legalization.<\/p>\n

For his part, Cook, who played a role in shaping the Trump administration\u2019s marijuana policy, said that the new Senate legalization bill Booker filed is premised on a series of myths, arguing that it would not mitigate the illicit market despite evidence to the contrary, that the federal drug war has not failed and that the criminal justice system is not systemically racist.<\/p>\n

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The Democrats\u2019 \u201cMarijuana Reparations Act\u201d isn\u2019t about research or medicine\u2014it\u2019s about legalizing and commercializing marijuana nationwide. pic.twitter.com\/siIqvFfk45<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) July 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Meanwhile, Booker\u2019s legalization bill quickly gained two new cosponsors<\/a> last week, including the third-highest-ranking Senate Democratic, Assistant Majority Leader Patty Murray (D-WA).<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s a general understanding among advocates and lawmakers that the legislation is unlikely to be enacted this Congress given the daunting 60-vote threshold it would need to pass through the Senate. Not all Democrats were on board with the draft proposal, and GOP members would likely oppose it.<\/p>\n

In any case, Tuesday\u2019s hearing may give an updated sense of where members across the aisle currently stand on reform and what they\u2019re willing to advance as Americans grow increasingly frustrated over the ongoing federal criminalization of cannabis.<\/p>\n

Schumer, for his part, said last week that he is committed to working with bipartisan offices to\u00a0get \u201csomething\u201d done on cannabis reform \u201cthis year.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0He\u2019s seemed to leave the door open to using provisions of CAOA as the basis\u00a0for an incremental marijuana reform package<\/a>\u00a0that he\u2019s been discussing with bipartisan and bicameral offices.<\/p>\n

Another complication in enacting broad legalization is President Joe Biden, who maintains a stiff opposition to the policy change. Instead, he\u2019s campaigned on modest changes such as decriminalization, rescheduling and continuing to allow states to set their own policies.<\/p>\n

After more than a year in office, however, he\u2019s\u00a0yet to take any meaningful steps<\/a>\u00a0to make good on those campaign pledges. And days before the House passed the MORE Act in April, then-Press Secretary Jen Psaki reaffirmed that\u00a0Biden\u2019s position on legalization has not changed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That said, the White House drug czar recently said that the Biden administration is\u00a0\u201cmonitoring\u201d states that have legalized marijuana<\/a>\u00a0to inform federal policy, recognizing the failures of the current prohibitionist approach.<\/p>\n

The president also made his first substantive comments on cannabis policy this month, reaffirming to reporters that he doesn\u2019t believe that people should be in prison over marijuana and stating that\u00a0his administration is \u201cworking on\u201d cannabis clemency<\/a>\u00a0issues.<\/p>\n

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Senator Files Bill To Allow Marijuana Advertising On TV And Radio In Legal States<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Photo courtesy of Max Pixel<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post Senators Discuss Marijuana Reform At Historic Hearing Following Legalization Bill Introduction<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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Senators on a key Judiciary subcommittee met on Tuesday to discuss marijuana reform, a first-of-its-kind meeting in the chamber. Members touched on a wide range of cannabis issues as Congress continues to explore legislative options to end prohibition. Five witnesses\u2014including former federal cannabis prisoner Weldon Angelos and marijuana alarmist AlexContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":56137,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56136"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56136"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56138,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56136\/revisions\/56138"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}