Last Friday, July 23, Washington, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee spoke about the increased violence happening in the country’s capital. He blamed illicit cannabis growth and underground sales for the increase. 

“I can tell you that marijuana, undoubtedly, is connected to violent crimes that we’re seeing in our community,” Chief Contee said. He spoke during a press conference near the site of a recent shooting. “When you have something where people get high reward—they can make a lot of money by selling illegal marijuana—and the risk is low, the risk for accountability is very low, that creates a very, very, very, very, very bad situation because those individuals get robbed, those individuals that shot at, those individuals get involved in disputes all across our city.

“Is there a prosecution that’s going to happen?” the chief asked. “I’ve heard from some community members that say, ‘hey, these guys are keeping scales on them, where they’re measuring out their marijuana to the T so that the police are not able to lock them up.’ That’s something that we have to look at as a community. I know, again, marijuana—not a big issue,” he said. “But it’s tied to some of our violent crime that we’re seeing.”

Activists Response

However, many people in the city and activists argued against Chief Contee’s position. Policy Manager for the Drug Policy Alliance’s Office of National Affairs, Queen Adesuyi, spoke out against Chief Contee.

“The police chief wants to blame cannabis for the violence of the unregulated market, when the blame should be aimed at U.S. senators who have continued to prevent D.C. Council and the Executive from implementing regulation and other reforms that aid in both public health and safety,” Adesuyi said. “As badly as the police chief wants to rely on arresting and incarcerating people for cannabis to solve issues of violence in the unregulated market, the fact of the matter is that D.C. residents voted for legal adult access to cannabis seven years ago, and have yet to get it. This is unfortunate because a regulated market would promote public safety.

“D.C. has not been able to actualize many of the benefits of legalization, including legal access to cannabis for adults 21+ and reinvestment of profits into under-resourced communities, because of the budgetary rider that prohibits D.C. from regulating cannabis,” Adesuyi added.

DC Rider

Washington, D.C. is its own district, and the capital city of the U.S., but it’s not a state. Plus, only recently could the district elect its own Representative. However, the D.C. Representative is a non-voting member of the chamber. In 1993, the House tried to grant Washington statehood under HR 51. However, it failed miserably with a vote of 153-277. Washington still remains under the control of Congress. Any city funds and proposals must be approved by the U.S. Congress. Since 1993, no attempt has been made to offer Washington statehood as the 51st state of the U.S. The Senate has never brought the matter forward. 

But in 2013, Washington, D.C. citizens voted to legalize medical cannabis sales. One year later, in 2014, citizens also voted to legalize recreational cannabis within the district limits, which has over 700,000 residents, more than some states like Vermont and Wyoming. Regardless, sales have never started in D.C. thanks to a Republican-led rider set in place for decades.

Lawmakers now are hoping to not include the rider in this year’s presidential budget plan. Washington, D.C’s one Representative, Eleanor Holmes Norton, D, said, “I’m going to be working very hard to make sure that that rider is not in the budget.”

White House Response

On Monday, Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked by Fox News if “it may be time to get tougher on marijuana” after Chief Contee’s comments. Instead of taking the chance to vilify cannabis and blame it for the crime spikes, Press Secretary Psaki steered her comment towards the crime rates themselves.

“We look to the crime that has been happening in D.C.—again one of the cities where we’ve seen rising violence over the past year and a half,” the Press Secretary replied. It’s “one we’re working in close partnership through both the [Justice Department] as well as our community violence intervention collaborative. We’re looking to address a range of causes, working in close partnership with the mayor and local police to bring crime down in our city.”

Taking away the focus of cannabis and turning towards crime instead, Press Secretary Psaki opened up more leniency towards cannabis. However, she also didn’t deny the connection as President Biden remains in favor of prohibition over legalization. 

Future 

Washington, D.C. citizens are ready and waiting for cannabis sales to become legal in their city. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D, said she’s ready to start setting up a system, once Congress gets “out of the way.”

Washington, D.C. statehood is also a concern. President Biden heavily backed making D.C. the 51st state during his presidential campaign and again more recently. Should D.C. become a state, then they will have control over their own budget and plans, including cannabis sales. It may be a pipe dream, but the thought is present nonetheless. 

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