On Wednesday, several state cannabis regulators met with federal agencies and Congressmen to discuss national cannabis legalization impacts. They also went over other cannabis policy changes and the potential implications on local programs.
The Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) put the meeting together, but they provide a neutral stance on legalization. The group itself strives to facilitate interactions between cannabis regulators, federal officials, and stakeholders. Furthermore, regulators from states that ended prohibition make up the membership of CANNRA. So if lawmakers make any federal marijuana changes, the states with legal markets will be the ones affected.
Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Dave Joyce are both co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. During the meeting, they spoke with state regulators and staffers from other congressional offices. In addition, other agencies include the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The executive director of Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency, Andrew Brisbo, spoke about the meeting. He said the federal officials were receptive during the session. They took into account the state regulators’ willingness to “be good partners in their ongoing conversations.”
“Obviously, we all know from our experiences what has worked in state regulatory environments—probably more importantly what hasn’t worked—and we want to lend that perspective,” he added.
Conversations Around Reform
During conversations, state regulators touched on legislation to protect banks that service legal marijuana businesses from being penalized by federal regulators. Other topics included testing, product labeling, and promoting social and economic equity.
States attending the meeting include California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and regulators from a few other states.
“One particular thing we want to ensure is that there’s consideration for existing state frameworks,” Brisbo said. “There’s been a lot of time and investment and engagement with stakeholders in the various states that have legalized … and there are some differences, and those things aren’t necessarily accidents.”
“We want to make sure that that’s given consideration in any sort of federal policy reform.” He stressed the importance of having a federal policy approach that doesn’t just overrun the successful things in those individual states.
At the beginning of the year, CANNRA sent a letter to congressional leaders. The letter outlined marijuana policy priorities and offering assistance as Congress pursues legalization measures.
Some of the issues the letter include protecting states with legalized marijuana markets, providing banking access to state-legal businesses, promoting research into marijuana, ensuring social equity in legal forms, and supporting public health initiatives.
Meanwhile, Democrats filed the first-ever bill to federally decriminalize the possession of all drugs in Congress on June 15.
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