Sens. Elizabeth Warren (DMA) and Ed Markey are calling for marijuana legislation that puts communities at the forefront and protects them from being monopolized by big corporations such as Amazon and tobacco companies.
On Saturday, at an event on creating an equal cannabis industry, senators thanked activists who stood up for minority and small marijuana businesses and pledged to support legislation aligned with this goal.
In a video that was played during the event, Warren stated: “We know legalization is not enough.” We need to make sure that those communities that have been most affected by the drug war are the first to benefit from legalization.
“Because, if left to its own devices the industry will go in that direction.” Amazon is one of the companies that has been lobbying for legalization. The senator added that Amazon’s lobbying was a selfish move to monopolize another market and potentially block Black and Latino entrepreneurs.
She said: “It’s time to think big and get creative about how we can ensure fairness in the cannabis market.” “I’m proud to fight alongside you all.”
The Senator’s comments were in line with the “crash course” on cannabis policy, which was organized by Parabola Center for Law and Policy. This think tank is working to educate the public about the possible ramifications that consolidated ownership could have for the marijuana industry.
Disclosure: Parabola’s founder Shaleen Title is a monthly Patreon contributor to Marijuana Moment.
Warren stated that “right now we have a rare opportunity to shape the way a new industry is developed from the ground-up.” “We have a chance to stop the old story about corporations squeezing out small business and dominating the market,” Warren said.
Markey also addressed attendees via a prerecorded. He said that “we all know that the war against drugs was a complete failure.” He went on to say that communities who were disproportionately criminalized during prohibition “stood and fought for an alternative future.”
He cited President Joe Biden’s mass pardon of marijuana last year, and Massachusetts’ efforts to ensure its legal cannabis markets put equity first.
He said, “But our work has only just begun.” “A patchwork local and state law creates confusion and obstacles that big businesses exploit to make money at the expense communities already decimated from the War on Drugs. Congress must legalize marijuana and prioritize equity.”
In developing cannabis policy, Congress should give voice to communities that have been harmed by war on drugs. “Nothing about them without their consent,” he stated. “We are in a new age of federal cannabis policies. “But that doesn’t remove the harmful effects from decades of criminalization.”
He added, “I am ready to work with you to create a system that emphasizes inclusion and empowerment. It also emphasizes equity.” “Let us all work together to reach these goals.”
The Federal Cannabis Policy crash course featured representatives of marijuana advocacy groups such as the Drug Policy Alliance, Marijuana Justice, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition, and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Parabola has released a “anti-monopoly” toolkit ahead of the crash course. This provides a summary of federal and state policy priorities that can be used to avoid corporate consolidation, which could threaten the small cannabis businesses.
Parabola in 2021 proposed changes to the federal marijuana legalization legislation passed by the House. The goal was to ensure an equitable market and to empower communities most affected by the prohibition to reap the benefits of the new industry.
The Center also raised the alarm late last year about the influence that the tobacco and alcohol industry has had on federal cannabis reform. They encouraged lawmakers to reconsider the idea of emulating the legal marijuana regulations in place for alcohol.
Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (DNY) announced in April his intention to introduce a comprehensive marijuana legalization bill. However, its chances of passing in a divided Congress with Republicans controlling the House are uncertain.
Advocates are instead closely watching to see what type of incremental reform may be achievable in this session. For example, a bipartisan Cannabis Banking Bill is expected to have a Senate Committee hearing in the near term.
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Photo element by Gage Skidmore.
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