Colorado Takes a Bold Stand Against Its Marijuana Industry
As the marijuana legalization movement—largely funded by the powerful cannabis industry—continues to score victory after victory at the state level, dissenting voices are rarely heard within the corridors of power. Yet in Colorado, a pioneering legal marijuana state, lawmakers have delivered an unusual rebuke to the pro-pot groups and lobbyists: the House of Representatives has approved a bill to place limits on the consumption of high-potency cannabis and medical marijuana and thereby help curb use by teens. For too long, physicians and researchers have warned that such products can be harmful, as they may contain up to 80 percent THC, the drug’s psychoactive component. It was only when doctors in Colorado became alarmed over a spike in psychotic episodes among young people that legislators proposed limitations. This in turn prompted an outcry from marijuana business interests, claiming their dispensaries would be devastated.
Restrictions on concentrates and medical marijuana are indeed necessary. Rather than limiting the actual level of THC in products (Vermont is the only state that does so), the proposed bill would simply restrict manufacturers from packaging individual doses larger than 0.1 grams. It would also both limit medical marijuana patients between the ages of 18 and 20 to purchasing no more than 2 grams of concentrate per day (down from 40 grams) and enact a system to track purchases by younger people. In addition, the measure asks public health officials to study the effects of concentrates on adolescents—which, of course, should have been done before Colorado legalized marijuana in 2014.
Gov. Jared Polis is expected to sign the bill once it clears the Colorado Senate, dealing a blow to the local cannabis industry and setting a new standard for regulation among states considering legalization as well as those reassessing the impact so far. Even with legalization steamrolling ahead, it’s not too late to impose reasonable safeguards and protections, particularly for the benefit of young people and other vulnerable populations.
Biden Remains Silent on Cannabis Reform, Missing an Opportunity to Define Regulatory Framework
It’s anyone’s guess what President Biden’s policy is concerning marijuana legalization. Except for the dismissing of several White House staff for using (or having used) pot a few months ago, which rankled many progressive Democrats, there’s little word on exactly where the administration stands. Biden could side with Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who advocates ending federal-level prohibition as part of sweeping policy changes, or stick with his campaign promise to leave legalization up to each individual state without ending federal-level prohibition or setting national regulations and guidelines.
But what if the president were to propose his own way forward? A compelling argument for this was made in a recent Brookings paper, which argues that a proactive stance would put Biden in a better position to shape such reform to his liking. He could rein in the type of overly permissive system of regulation many progressives (and the industry) prefer, and legal states have already enacted. Biden’s age and family history of substance abuse are believed to be behind his reluctance to adopt a more liberal position on pot. But by taking a stand, the paper points out, he could have a powerful voice in setting the precise role of the federal government as legalization moves ahead, in a way that is more consistent with his own views. To me, this makes a lot of sense.