Cannabis advocates will hold a policy forum in the Capitol Visitors Center of the Congressional Auditorium symbolically scheduled for April 20 – the unofficial marijuana holiday. The summit will bring together activists and leaders from government, business, healthcare, veterans groups and civil rights organizations to review and analyze the most important cannabis policy challenges and opportunities reported Marijuana Moment.
“The Summit is Washington, D.C.’s premier celebration of cannabis advocacy and a call to action for American leadership in defense of state’s rights and the will of the voters, in Washington, D.C. and around the country,” the group wrote.
Members of Congress taking part in this important event include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator John Hickenlooper, Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Dave Joyce, Barbara Lee, Nancy Mace and Brian Mast.
Most of the speakers are known for their efforts in cannabis reform. For example, Congressman Dave Joyce of Ohio, who is one of the featured speakers at the upcoming Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Miami on April 11-12, has been committed to sensible cannabis reform and normalizing the issue among conservatives since coming to Congress. As a Republican co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, Joyce introduced numerous pieces of cannabis reform legislation including, H.R.3105 – Common Sense Cannabis Reform (117th Congress), the first GOP bill to end federal prohibition and the first and only bipartisan measure along with Rep. Alexandria Ocaso- Cortez calling for federal regulation, H.R.6129 – the HOPE Act (117th Congress) and H.R.6043 the STATES Act (115th Congress).
Schumer is also known for sponsoring Senate legislation that would decriminalize and deschedule cannabis on the federal level, while also promoting social equity – Cannabis Administration And Opportunity Act (CAOA) that was introduced last year.
Topics that will be discussed at the 4/20 congressional event include expungement, banking, social equity and paths to federal legalization.
“We are thrilled to bring the National Cannabis Policy Summit’s Congressional Forum to the Capitol Building during this critical time for cannabis policy reform,” stated Caroline Phillips, founder of the National Cannabis Policy Summit. “To sit inside the Capitol Building and hear directly from the members of Congress making the policy decisions shows just how far we’ve come as a country in reimagining drug policy, and on April 20th, we’ll have a chance to discuss how much farther we need to go.” (Full Story)