Norton to Speak at National Cannabis Industry Association Policy Symposium, Today

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will speak at the National Cannabis Industry Association's Policy Symposium today, April 28, at 11:00 a.m., at the 20 F Street NW Conference Center. The all-day symposium will bring industry leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs to discuss the rules and regulations that need to be developed at the federal and state levels governing cannabis. Possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal in the District of Columbia after voters overwhelmingly passed Initiative 71 last November. However, a tax and regulatory system cannot be established due to a rider included in the 2015 Omnibus appropriations bill that blocks the District from spending its local funds to tax and regulate marijuana. House Republicans originally claimed they had blocked marijuana legalization in the District entirely with a rider in the Omnibus, but Norton found a flaw in the language. The language in the final bill had been changed from D.C. may not "enact or carry out" any law, rule or regulation to legalize marijuana to D.C. cannot "enact" any law, rule or regulation to legalize marijuana. The Initiative had already been enacted by voters in November and required no additional enactments to implement.

"The tide is changing on marijuana across the country, and the federal government needs to start catching up," Norton said. "Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of cannabis, and 23 states and the District have legalized medical use of cannabis. The District of Columbia has exposed marijuana legalization as a civil rights issue. Voters in the District passed Initiative 71 when they learned that virtually only people of color end up with drug arrests for possession of marijuana. These arrest disparities exist throughout the country. Forging a coalition between civil rights leaders and pro-cannabis organizations is part of the needed pressure to get Congress to act and update current law, which classifies cannabis with dangerous drugs like heroin."