Senators Announce Cannabis Administration And Opportunity Act On Track For Introduction Before August Recess, Will Include Analysis From Nearly A Dozen Senate Committees And Numerous Federal Agencies
Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today issued an update on Senate introduction of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). The proposed legislation, which is being drafted with the assistance of nearly a dozen Senate Committees and input from numerous federal agencies, would establish a federal standard for cannabis legalization and regulation and help put an end to the unfair targeting and treatment of communities of color by removing cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances. With committees continuing their diligent work and agencies being urged to provide prompt analysis, the Senators stressed their intent to introduce the legislation before the August recess in order to continue building momentum for cannabis reform.
“The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act is critical legislation that will finally put an end to the federal prohibition on cannabis and address the over-criminalization of cannabis in a comprehensive and meaningful way,” said Leader Schumer. “The War on Drugs has too often been a war on people, and overwhelmingly on people of color. I am proud of the progress made in bringing this vital bill closer to its official introduction before the August recess, and I want to thank the committee chairs who have worked with us and remained committed to addressing this issue. CAOA will not only remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances, but also help repair our criminal justice system, ensure restorative justice, protect public health, and implement responsible taxes and regulations.”
“The federal cannabis ban is a senseless and failed relic that’s needlessly destroyed lives, stifled research and treated job-generating legal small businesses in Oregon and other states like criminal organizations,” said Senator Wyden. “This outdated prohibition is long overdue for an end. And introducing final legislation as early as possible requires committees to continue their diligent work, and agencies to provide prompt analysis. Simply put, final text of this urgently needed legislation must be released well before the August recess to continue building momentum for cannabis reform.”
“For too long, Black, Brown, and low-income people as well as people living in underserved communities have been disproportionately impacted by our marijuana laws,” said Senator Booker. “As more states legalize cannabis and work towards reversing the injustices of the War on Drugs, Congress must enact comprehensive cannabis reform that will deliver restorative justice to communities to undo the harms of America’s failed drug policies. Last summer, I partnered with Senators Schumer and Wyden to develop the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, landmark legislation that would end the federal prohibition on cannabis, expunge federal cannabis offenses, and reinvest funds into communities most affected by decades of unjust and discriminatory drug policy. After months of substantive progress we are close to finalizing a bill that reflects common sense drug policy and delivers long overdue justice.”
Ending the federal prohibition on cannabis is becoming increasingly urgent as more and more states continue to legalize adult and medical use of cannabis. Despite the fact that cannabis is illegal under federal law, the majority of Americans live in a state where cannabis is legal in one form or another and more than 90 percent of Americans believe it should be legalized for either adult or medical use.
Key polices currently being resolved in advance of introduction of the CAOA are outlined below. These priorities are being developed with input on a broad-reaching discussion draft released by Sens. Schumer, Wyden, and Booker last year and include crucial provisions to combat drugged driving, protect public health and safety, prevent youth access, and preserve states’ authority over their own cannabis laws.
- Removing unnecessary federal employee pre-employment and random drug testing for cannabis, while preserving appropriate drug testing in transportation-related fields, other sensitive areas of employment, and investigations of accidents and unsafe practices.
- Specifying membership and duties of the Cannabis Products Advisory Committee, an entity created in the legislation which FDA would convene and consult before promulgating regulations.
- Clarifying market competition rules meant to protect independent retailers and prevent anti-competitive behavior, to ensure that those rules do not unintentionally undermine state programs that provide access to capital for social equity businesses.
- Broad review of agricultural and environmental laws applicable to cannabis, and working to ensure that appropriate environmental protections apply to cannabis production.
- Ensuring worker protections for those employed in the cannabis industry.
- Ensuring regulatory bodies and law enforcement have the resources and tools they need to protect the integrity of the legal cannabis marketplace.
- Strengthening cannabis business protections and opportunities under Small Business Administration programs.
- Clarifying the relationship between state governments and Indian tribal governments with respect to cannabis.
- Broad review of existing law to cannabis throughout the government, and developing a variety of additional policies to ensure consistent and appropriate treatment of cannabis.
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