Washington, D.C. – Late last week, Senator Ron Wyden along with the senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee Representative Earl Blumenauer, introduced three pieces of legislation to preserve the integrity of state marijuana laws. Also to help provide a path for responsible federal legalization and regulation of the marijuana industry.
It’s called the Path to Marijuana Reform and it includes the bipartisan Small Business Tax Equity Act, which prevents legal marijuana businesses from getting hit with an unfair tax bill. The legislation package also includes measures to shrink the gap between federal and state marijuana policies as well as responsibly de-schedule, tax and regulate marijuana.
Currently more than 20% of Americans live in states that permit adult use of marijuana. It’s said that the industry is expected to produce nearly 300-thousand jobs by 2020 and grow to near $24-billion dollars in annual revenue by 2025.
Senator Wyden said “The federal government must respect the decision Oregonians made at the polls and allow law-abiding marijuana businesses to go to the bank just like any other legal business. This three-step approach will spur job growth and boost our economy all while ensuring the industry is being held to a fair standard.
Representative Blumenauer added, “As more states follow Oregon’s leadership in legalizing and regulating marijuana, too many people are trapped between federal and state laws. It’s not right, and it’s not fair. We need change now – and this bill is the way to do it.”
credit: mybasin.com
