Major alcohol associations’ top executives are encouraging industry stakeholders to support their new policy supporting federal marijuana legalization.
At Access LIVE, the annual conference of Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, the chairman and CEO of Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), this week, representatives from each tier of the alcohol industry discussed cannabis reform with them.
“We believe that the state-based regulatory model [for alcohol] has been a success and should be part of the conversation” regarding marijuana, WSWA Chairman Tom Cole stated. “I appeal to my industry colleagues to support us and to contribute your experience and voice to the conversations taking place on Capitol Hill.
WSWA wrote a letter last month to Congress to urge them to act on federal reform.
The letter referred to a 2021 policy brief that the association had first prepared. It outlines regulatory priorities that lawmakers should consider as they work to replace prohibition by legalization.
According to the brief, policymakers should learn from alcohol regulations in order to create a model that encourages innovation and industry competition.
Francis Creighton, President of WSWA, spoke at the conference to wholesalers in the alcohol industry about why the association supports federal cannabis reform.
WSWA Chairman Calls for Beverage Alcohol Industry To Advocate For Safe and Effective Federal Cannabis Legalization and Regulation
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— WSWA (@WSWAMedia April 3, 2023
He said that people don’t know and shouldn’t trust that the product they put into their bodies is safe. “There is no federal standard for testing” he explained. “Consumers don’t know the potency of the product. There is no federal standard for accuracy or a regulator to ensure that dosing is accurate.
WSWA voted in support of the states’ rights to legalize marijuana in 2018. It followed that up with a briefing on Capitol Hill to inform legislators and staff about its position.
The association also supported a Senate bill in 2021 to allow hemp derivatives like CBD to be used as food, drink, and dietary supplements.
Advocates see the involvement of the alcohol association on the issue, particularly given its large network of members and connections with Congress.
Others are skeptical about the industry. They warn against modeling marijuana after alcohol and argue that it could disrupt state markets.
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The post Major Alcohol Association Executives Call on the Industry to Support Efforts to Legalize Marijuana originally appeared on Marijuana Moment.
