Dear Friend,
Even with the passage of Initiative 502, marijuana possession or use for any purpose is still prohibited under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), leaving participants in state markets like ours at risk of arrest by federal authorities. This murky legal environment is hindering states like Washington that are trying to effectively regulate this new industry because they are preempted by federal law.
Just this week, I wrote an op-ed published in The Everett Herald outlining my bill, the State Marijuana And Regulatory Tolerance (SMART) Enforcement Act. This legislation would protect medical patients, recreational users and businesses owners by giving the U.S. Attorney General the authority to waive the CSA for states like Washington that are effectively regulating marijuana themselves. However, the authority to waive the CSA would only be granted if they have laws that cover key federal priorities, such as preventing the distribution to minors, violence or use of firearms in cultivation and distribution and drugged driving.
The SMART Enforcement Act would also allow banks to serve businesses in the marijuana industry that are currently being forced to operate on a dangerous all-cash basis. Local business owners in Washington have told me how they operate in constant fear of robberies, describing the current situation as a “fire keg waiting for a match.”
As states like ours move forward with legalization, it is foolish to keep businesses, communities and lives at risk by making them targets of criminals. We must adapt federal policy to the new reality. While Congress could simply legalize marijuana nationally, that is extremely unlikely in the current political climate. My bill is a pragmatic and expeditious solution that would take a step in the right direction as Congress continues to evaluate additional policy options.
As always, my office is here to serve you. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, such as the IRS or the VA, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085.
Sincerely,
Suzan
