Today, Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), and Dina Titus (D-NV), leaders in the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, introduced the Realizing Equitable & Sustainable Participation in Emerging Cannabis Trades (RESPECT) Resolution.
“For decades, harsh cannabis laws devastated Black, Brown, and low-income communities”, said said Rep. Omar. “Today, those same communities are facing new barriers that prevent many of them from benefiting from the opportunities offered by a multi-billion-dollar industry. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that cannabis policy expands access to capital and invests in entrepreneurs whose communities were most harmed by outdated drug laws.”
According to a press release from Rep. Omar, arrest and incarceration rates for marijuana offenses have been wildly disproportionate, with people of color far more likely to be targeted despite using marijuana at similar rates as white Americans. These laws have “entrenched cycles of poverty and inequality”.
“Marijuana prohibition has failed our communities,” said Rep. Carter. “It has disproportionately harmed people of color, fueling mass incarceration, ruining families, taking away opportunities, and burdening them with criminal records. It’s past time for the federal government to address the racial disparities that persist in the cannabis space and create inclusive pathways for people to access economic wealth.”
Rep. Simon said “We must elevate the role of equity in the legal cannabis marketplace and take bold, deliberate action to close persistent disparities. The war on drugs has devastated communities of color, and it is long past time to repair the harm and move beyond outdated, punitive cannabis policies. I am proud to stand alongside my colleagues in introducing this Resolution, which will serve as a meaningful step towards economic and reparative justice.”
“For too long federal and state governments have unfairly prosecuted cannabis usage as a Schedule 1 drug,” said Rep. Titus. “The RESPECT Resolution is a critical step towards policy that addresses the disparities caused by the outdated scheduling of cannabis and the so-called War on Drugs. As Co-Chair of the Cannabis Caucus, I am advancing solutions that will finally put an end to the cycle of unjust incarceration and unequal enforcement.”
In addition to Reps. Carter, Omar, Simon, and Titus, The RESPECT Resolution is co-sponsored by Reps. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC), Hank Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).
This legislation is endorsed by Drug Policy Alliance, Last Prisoner Project, the Minority Cannabis Business Association, and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
Cat Packer, Director of Drug Markets and Legal Regulation for the Drug Policy Alliance, said “The Drug Policy Alliance is proud to endorse the RESPECT Resolution, which calls for urgent action to ensure that cannabis markets and policies are fair for all communities. By highlighting state and local best practices, supporting global decriminalization, and urging states to end criminal penalties, restore rights, and ensure equitable participation in the emerging cannabis economy, the resolution charts a clear path toward meaningful reform. At a time when criminalization remains the law of the land and inequities remain deeply embedded in cannabis markets and policy, this resolution is both timely and critically necessary”.
Jason Ortiz, Director of Strategic Initiatives with Last Prisoner Project said “Last Prisoner Project is grateful to the sponsors of the RESPECT Resolution for their leadership in confronting the deep racial and economic inequities created by decades of cannabis criminalization. This resolution recognizes that while state cannabis laws have evolved, far too many people and communities are still living with the consequences of outdated federal policies. By calling for record clearance, community investment, and equitable licensing, this resolution is a crucial reminder that those most harmed by prohibition must be able to participate in — and benefit from — any legal cannabis market.”
Background:
The RESPECT Resolution:
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Urges cannabis reform by encouraging states and localities to adopt the best steps and practices to address equity in the industry and provide economic empowerment to communities of color disenfranchised by the “War on Drugs.”
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Acknowledges the racial disparities that exist in the cannabis industry, particularly for those who have criminal records for a substance that is now legal and regulated in most states.
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Calls on Congress to address, reverse, and repair the consequences of failed cannabis policies and regulations.
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Directs the United States to use its platform to advocate at the United Nations to de-schedule cannabis from international drug control treaties, expunge low-level marijuana offenses, study the impacts of controlling cannabis through international treaties, and treat cannabis as a legal commodity.
Read the full resolution text here.
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