Photo Courtesy of Sen. Schumer
[W]e are focused on delivering comprehensive reform at the federal level just as New York has done. Plain and simple,” Sen. Schumer said.
By Forum Staff
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, members of the New York Congressional delegation, Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Kassandra Frederique, and coalition organizations, which have helped pass New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, on Friday reiterated their call for comprehensive, equity-driven marijuana legalization through Congress. They highlighted the successful passage of the MRTA as a model for how comprehensive legalization can address the harms of the War on Drugs and set up a market that allows small businesses to flourish.
“Across the country, too many are still ensnared by absurd punitive action for marijuana use. And right here in New York, despite legalization, New Yorkers are still impacted every day by the federal prohibition. High stakes housing decisions, immigration issues, access to federal funding are warped and blocked by the federal prohibition,” Schumer said. “So that’s why we are focused on delivering comprehensive reform at the federal level just as New York has done. Plain and simple. And we need reform that actually deals with racial and economic justice, and critically to make sure the big corporations, the alcohol, the tobacco and others, don’t squeak in and overwhelm the market and control it from the beginning. We want the communities that were hurt most to benefit most, and small businesses in those communities to be able to take advantage when the law is legalized federally as they can now in New York.
Photo Courtesy of DEA
New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act was signed into law in March 2021.
“So I am working with two of my colleagues in the Senate, Sen. Wyden, chairman of the Finance Committee, and Sen. Booker, who’ve been strong leaders on this issue, to put forward comprehensive cannabis reform legislation,” New York’s senior senator added. “Last year, we introduced a discussion draft. We got over 1,800 comments, and right now we’re taking those comments reaching out to Democratic and Republican Senators, we want some Republican support. Let’s not forget that even South Dakota on a referendum – the voters of one of the most conservative states in the country – South Dakota voted to legalize cannabis. So this shows you where the country is at and we need to get the Senate to catch up to the House and the rest of the country. Like the MORE Act that Jerry [Nadler] and Nydia [Velazquez] have pursued in the House, it deals in deep ways with addressing the harm of the War on Drugs. So in the coming weeks, we’re ramping up our outreach, and we expect to introduce formal legislation.”
