A bipartisan proposal filed Thursday by U.S. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Max Miller (R-OH), and Dina Titus (D-NV) seeks to federally legalize cannabis in states, territories, and tribal nations that have already passed adult-use reforms.
The bill, named the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) 2.0 Act, would protect people who are in compliance with local cannabis reforms from federal prosecution. Additionally, the legislation would legalize interstate commerce of cannabis products and reform the industry’s tax structure so state-legal businesses would no longer run afoul of the IRS’s Section 280E tax code.
“Whether a state is pro-legalization or anti-legalization, we can all agree that the current federal approach to cannabis policy is not working,” Rep. Joyce, a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said in a press release.
“The STATES 2.0 Act ensures the federal government does not interfere with states or tribes that have chosen to legalize cannabis. This common-sense proposal is exactly the type of legislation I hope to advance as Co-Chair of the Cannabis Caucus. It’s time for national policy to catch up with the states or at least get out of the way.” — Rep. Titus, in a statement
Meanwhile, Rep. Miller said the STATES 2.0 Act would “establish commonsense guardrails that protect children, promote public safety, support scientific research, address addiction and mental health concerns, and uphold the rights of communities that choose to opt out of cannabis use.”
“This legislation empowers each state to adopt policies that reflect the needs and values of their residents without fear of federal interference,” Miller said.
Get daily cannabis business news updates. Subscribe
Ganjapreneur is made possible by our partners:
