Regulating Cannabis

Public support of marijuana legalization and reform has been steadily on the rise over the past decade. Nationwide, cannabis has been fully legalized in 18 states and the District of Columbia and is legal for medicinal purposes in 37 states. Yet cannabis remains highly regulated and criminalized at the federal level. 

From disproportionately impacting communities of color through racially targeted arrests, to a lack of federal protections for financial institutions serving marijuana businesses – the federal marijuana prohibition has severely impacted both individuals and businesses across the country. 

What does federal reform of cannabis look like in the 117th Congress? What guidelines could a sensible policy framework contain? How can a regulated marijuana industry operate safely and how should priority issues like safe banking, decriminalization, and substance abuse be addressed? 

The Hill will gather policymakers and subject matter experts for a comprehensive discussion about cannabis policy and regulation. 

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 
1:00PM ET/10:00AM PT

Speakers:

• Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Member, Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, on the role of Congress in regulating cannabis
• Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Sponsor, The States Reform Act, on her bill to end federal cannabis prohibition
• Michael Dundas, Founder, Navigaire Advisors, on regulating marijuana from the dispensary perspective
• Nicole Elliott, Director, California Department of Cannabis Control, on regulating California’s legalized recreational marijuana
• Linda Mercado Greene, Owner & CEO, Anacostia Organics on equity and diversity in the medical marijuana industry
• Dr. Staci Gruber, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, on the health effects and medical efficacy of cannabis
• Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, on the science and health aspects of cannabis use

Moderator: 

• Steve Clemons, Editor-at-Large, The Hill

Join the conversation! Tweet us: @TheHillEvents using #TheHillCannabis

SPONSORED BY: 

It’s time to face the facts: legal cannabis is here to stay. Today, nearly half of Americans live in a state with legal adult-use cannabis, with two-thirds having medical cannabis access. In the United States, not only is legal cannabis one of the country’s fastest-growing markets, worth $61 billion, but it also employs more than 300,000 Americans. We still lack a federal framework to regulate this booming industry despite these facts. It’s no longer a question of if Congress should provide clear guidance; it’s a question of how we get it done. Legal cannabis is here, and CPEAR is here to get it done right. Learn more about the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation.