Cannabis prohibition is coming to an end. People that believe Cannabis shouldn't be bought and sold like any other commodity are quite frankly on the wrong side of history. Canadians are on the right side of history, and so will the US, in time.
I am a firm believer that any discussion of Cannabis legalization needs to be accompanied with a determined effort to address the racial bias that has plagued the drug war. Legalization needs to be accompanied by reforms to the judicial system to prevent more senseless incarceration, especially of the life sentence variety.
Officials at the FDA, Trump administration and other branches of government should make a concerted effort to reduce the prison population and create a regulatory framework towards the commercialization of Cannabis. I hope to see legal Cannabis for sale across the USA by 2020, alongside meaningful reparation efforts and justice reforms that would lead to meaningful impacts to the economy by 2022.
Here are some thoughts on how it could be done:
- Allow banks to serve legal Cannabis businesses immediately.
- Follow Canadian model of legalization (create bill on 1st year, legalize flower sales on 2nd year, legalize edibles and drinks on 3rd year).
- Pardon inmates that were incarcerated for possession of Cannabis (perhaps over a period of time).
- Eliminate habitual offender statutes across the country, no more life sentences for minor offenses.
- Eliminate asset forfeiture laws (bonus points for this one)
- Use tax proceeds to educate public about risks of Cannabis consumption, and provide shelter and opportunities for the homeless and ex-convicts.
Click here to read FDA-2018-N-3685 notice and add your comment