Over the last decade, voters across America have demonstrated that states remain the great laboratories of democracy by taking the cannabis debate into their own hands through legislative action and ballot measures. Most recently, Oklahoma voters rejected a proposed cannabis ballot measure to legalize the use of cannabis for adult-use purposes. Despite the disappointment felt by supporters of the measure, it is important to remember that the democratic process that played out in Oklahoma, not to mention North Dakota’s recent cannabis initiative, is exactly what our Founding Fathers intended when they wrote the Constitution.
The Oklahoma example is actually an outlier when it comes to the significant shift in attitudes toward cannabis legalization we are seeing in traditionally conservative “red” states in the United States. While many of these states have historically been opposed to cannabis use, a growing number are recognizing the potential benefits of legalization, both in terms of public health, safety and economic growth. States such as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas have all legalized medical cannabis, while others, such as Montana and South Dakota, have moved to legalize cannabis for both medical and adult-use. This trend represents the beauty of the American experiment — states governing how they see fit.
Recent polling shows an overwhelming majority (68 percent) of likely 2024 Republican presidential primary and caucus voters support ending the federal prohibition of cannabis. The survey also shows an overwhelming majority — 70 percent of these GOP voters — support a state’s right to deal with the issue of cannabis legalization on their own terms. These voters and state leaders understand it’s time to make progress on issues like treating the invisible wounds of war for our veterans and providing a commonsense framework for effective law enforcement.
So, what can conservatives in Congress do to protect the states’ rights to govern within their own borders? The bottom line — a modern federal framework for cannabis. With some states legalizing cannabis for medicinal or adult-use purposes, while others maintain a strict ban, no state can accomplish their goals while the federal government has adopted this untenable position of simply looking the other way. A new federal framework would allow states to govern and regulate cannabis as they see fit while helping to prevent diversion and ensuring consistency and standardization across the U.S., including workplace testing, youth prevention, driving under the influence, and product testing.
Today, over 100 million Americans live in a state with some form of legal cannabis use — yet we’re still waiting on federal guidelines for this industry — which only Congress can create. Congressional Republicans have a unique opportunity to lead on this issue and establish a federal regulatory framework driven by science and data. That’s not just wishful thinking — there’s growing momentum from GOP voters.
If my time in Congress taught me anything, it’s that anyone can evolve on any issue given the right data and facts. A science-forward framework would protect our children, keep our roads safe, and reallocate law enforcement resources to focus on violent crime. The fact remains that cannabis reform is gaining support from voters of all political stripes — especially Republicans. It’s time for Congress to act.
Greg Walden represented Oregon’s 2nd District for 22 years in the U.S. House of Representative, chaired the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the National Republican Congressional Committee. He serves as Co-Chair for Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Reform.