This Major Company Is In Favor Of Legalizing Cannabis Federally
Amazon One of the largest and most progressed companies in the U.S. is has recently announced it supports cannabis reform. The company is the second-largest private employer in the nation and it is backing a Republican-led bill. This GOP-led bill would federally legalize, tax and regulate marijuana.
The company’s public policy division stated that it is “pleased to endorse” the legislation. This federal cannabis bill was introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace. Mrs. Mace filed the States Reform Act in November as a middle-ground alternative to more scaled-back GOP proposals. Plus it offers a wide-ranging legalization bill that are being championed by Democrats.
“Like so many in this country, we believe it’s time to reform the nation’s cannabis policy. And Amazon is committed to helping lead the effort,” the company, which once voiced support for a separate, Democratic-led legalization bill, said.
Amazon has worked to adjust to varying marijuana policies internally. As the bill is backed by congressional reform, enacting an employment policy change last year. This was intended to end drug testing for marijuana for most employees.
Marijuana Reform Support From Amazon Continues
Weeks and weeks after making that shift—and following the introduction of the States Reform Act—Mace met with Amazon. It was then when Mace has received the company’s endorsement, Forbes reported.
“They don’t want to sell it,” the freshman congresswoman said, adding that Amazon is primarily interested in backing the reform for hiring purposes instead of as a way to eventually sell cannabis. “It opens up the hiring pool by about 10 percent.”
Brian Huseman, Amazon’s vice president of public policy, said the bill “offers comprehensive reform that speaks to the emergence of a bipartisan consensus to end the federal prohibition of cannabis.”
Amazon’s drug testing conclusion was widely applauded by reform advocates and industry stakeholders. Originally, the company only chatted about terminating the policy in the near future. Yet it later revealed that the policy change would also be retroactive. This means former employees who were penalized for testing positive for THC will have their employment eligibility restored. This also stands for prior applicants as well.
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Amazon Is Eliminating Cannabis Testing
The rationale for not making it a concern for marijuana testing was multifaceted. At the time Amazon said the growing state-level legalization movement has made it “difficult to implement an equitable, consistent, and national pre-employment marijuana testing program.” Data shows that drug testing “disproportionately impacts people of color and acts as a barrier to employment.” And ending the provision will broaden the company’s applicant pool.
The GOP congresswoman’s bill already has the backing of the powerful, Koch-backed conservative group Americans for Prosperity. The bill would end federal cannabis prohibition. All while taking detailed steps to assure that businesses in existing state markets can continue to operate. Specifically unencumbered by changing federal rules.
Final Thoughts On Amazon Supporting GOP Led Bill
Mace’s legislation has been described as an endeavor to connect a partisan divide. Which historically has happened every time on federal cannabis reform. It does that by including certain equity conditions for instance expungements for people with non-violent cannabis convictions. As well as setting an excise tax, revenue.
Which would support community reinvestment, law enforcement, and Small Business Administration (SBA) activities. An online media site first reported on a prior draft version of the legislation. This was back in November 2021 and it quickly became clear that industry stakeholders see hope in the Republican-led effort.
The reason for that answer mainly comes down to the fact that there’s skepticism towards the Democratic-led legalization bills. This—includes the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act that Amazon has also endorsed. Which—will be able to pass without GOP buy-in. While Democrats hold majorities in both chambers, in addition to controlling the White House, the margins for passage are slim.
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The MORE Act did clear the House Judiciary Committee in September, and a previous version passed the full House during the last Congress. Senate leadership is preparing to file a separate legalization proposal after unveiling a draft version in July.
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