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Blunt Rochester responds to state legislators

May 12, 2023

The following is a response to a letter from Delaware legislators urging the federal delegation to deschedule marijuana as a controlled substance. 

Thank you for contacting me about descheduling marijuana. I appreciate hearing from you on such a critical issue that impacts thousands of individuals across our state. 

It has been clear for some time that marijuana does not belong on the federal schedule of controlled substances. That is why last Congress, I voted to pass the Marijuana Opportunity  Reinvestment and Expungement Act, HR 3617, to remove marijuana from federal scheduling pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act. The bill takes significant steps to right the  wrongs of federal marijuana criminalization and establishes a tax structure for cannabis products. 

I have also recognized the banking issues facing legitimate cannabis-related businesses due to the inconsistencies in the status of marijuana across federal and state jurisdictions. That’s why last Congress, I co-sponsored and voted to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act, HR 1996, to require financial institutions to provide legitimate cannabis-related businesses with banking services, and to treat proceeds and profit from cannabis-related business as legal and legitimate.  

I applaud your leadership on this issue in Delaware and I am so proud to be in this fight with you. I hope you will continue to keep me informed of the issues important to your offices, as your input helps me to better represent the First State in Congress. 

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester 
D-Delaware

 

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