NOTE TO CONGRESS

NOTE TO CONGRESS

TODAY’S CANNABIS BUSINESS PLAN IS

YESTERDAY’S MARIJUANA CONSPIRACY

Congress needs to address a great inconsistency in our criminal justice system.  There can be no integrity in the cannabis business community or in Congress as long as there are nonviolent marijuana offenders serving life without parole and other egregious sentences

Thirty – three states have legalized marijuana to some degree.  This has happened at the same time that marijuana has remained on the Controlled Substance Act as a Schedule 1 drug, a position that designates it as a more dangerous drug than Fentanyl and OxyContin.   

In 2017 there were over 650,000 arrests for marijuana and there are nonviolent people serving sentences of life without parole for marijuana. 

Today there are funds investing billions of dollars in emerging cannabis business enterprises while many high profile politicians, entertainers, and business entrepreneurs are also involved in the promotion of these enterprises.   Millions of dollars are being spent for lobbying by these businesses. 

This undeniable conflict between federal law and the current culture invites disrespect for the law and for those who are responsible for the enactment and prosecution of the law.  

There can be no integrity for cannabis business enterprises while people are serving egregious sentences for the same substance and the law supports these sentences. 

Every bill that is introduced to legalize cannabis businesses to any degree needs to have an amendment attached that grants retroactive sentencing relief for nonviolent marijuana offenders serving sentences of life without parole and other egregious sentences for the same substance that is being legalized.

These nonviolent marijuana offenders with sentences of life without parole do not receive one day of sentencing relief from the First Step Act.