Take Action: The STATES Act Reintroduced in 116th Congress
The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, more commonly known as the STATES Act, was first introduced in the United States Congress in June 2017. If enacted, the legislation would ensure that each state has the right to determine for itself the best approach to cannabis, including both medical and adult-use, within its borders.
The legislation would provide reassurance to the 34 legal medical states and the 10 states where adult-use cannabis has already been legalized by individual state legislatures. Vireo Health currently operates or holds licenses in 10 of these states. While it would not be a full repeal of federal cannabis prohibition, which was enacted in 1937, it would allow states to regulate it themselves without any interference from the federal government.
The bill (S.1028) was reintroduced in the current 116th Congress in the Senate by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), on April 4, 2019. While the bill has not yet been introduced into the House, the previous version of the bill had the bi-partisan support of 38 members of the House and the Senate, and governors of 12 states publicly shared their support of the bill.
The President has said he would sign the bill if passed by Congress. And despite his personal support of prohibition, U.S. Attorney General William Barr recently signaled his support for the STATES Act as the best solution forward, rather than continuing the current federal-state conflict over legalization laws.
As stated, this bill is supported by both Republicans and Democrats and has a real shot at becoming law if we work together to make our voices heard. If you’d like to join us in advocating for the STATES Act, send your federal representatives a message today!