Given the title of the hearing, it is no surprise that the majority party witnesses focused mostly on how communities of color have been disproportionately targeted for arrest under cannabis prohibition, and how that has saddled a generation of young people of color with criminal records that impact their ability to secure gainful employment, access public assistance benefits, and obtain financial aid to attend college.
The results, however, have been pretty paltry: Cannabis is still illegal nationwide, businesses still can’t bank or deduct expenses on their taxes like other merchants, and legitimate interstate cannabis commerce remains a distant dream. With few exceptions, bipartisan bills that would de-schedule the drug or give businesses tax relief are still withering in committee without hearings, let alone votes.
The new year marks the start of the 116th Congress, as well as the launch of numerous state legislative sessions.As lawmakers return to work at the state and federal levels, elected officials and advocates for social justice and marijuana reform alike are plotting their cannabis legislation goals.
WeedMaps News contacted some of the leading legislative changemakers to ask what's on their agenda for 2019.