David Culver, SVP of Public Affairs for the US Cannabis Council, released the following statement: "We welcome former President Trump’s historic endorsement of large-scale cannabis reform, including the reclassification of cannabis from Schedule I to III, the passage of Florida’s Amendment 3 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state, and the passage of the SAFE Banking Act to bring standard banking services to the cannabis industry. He joins millions of Americans who have reassessed their views on cannabis in recent years. “Reclassifying cannabis would mark a historic swift away from the nation’s failed drug war. Cannabis never belonged on Schedule I, and the drug’s low abuse potential and proven medical use warrant a Schedule III designation, if not outright descheduling. "Meanwhile, former President Trump joins millions of Republicans and Democrats in Florida in voting for Amendment 3, adding to its already strong bipartisan support. President Trump's support could prove pivotal for meeting the 60% threshold required to become law. And his endorsement of SAFE provides a common sense approach to bringing cannabis into the regulated banking system. We look forward to hearing more from him about how he would approach cannabis reform if elected this November. “We believe cannabis reform is a winning issue. For the first time in history, both major party candidates support large-scale cannabis reform.”

David Culver, SVP of Public Affairs for the US Cannabis Council, released the following statement: “We welcome former President Trump's comments on Amendment 3 in Florida, which would legalize adult use cannabis in the state. He joins millions of Americans who have reassessed their views on cannabis in recent years. “Amendment 3 enjoys strong bipartisan support from Florida voters, and President Trump's support could prove pivotal for meeting the 60% threshold required to become law. We look forward to hearing more from him about how he would approach cannabis reform if elected this November.”

David Culver, SVP of Public Affairs for the US Cannabis Council, released the following statement: “President Biden has taken historic steps toward ending the federal prohibition of cannabis, including starting the process to move it to Schedule III and pardoning thousands of Americans convicted of nonviolent cannabis offenses. We look forward to the current administration finalizing the rescheduling process, and we hope the next nominee will support formally ending federal cannabis prohibition."

In response to the passage of Rep. Mary Miller's amendment during today's House Agriculture Committee markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, US Cannabis Council executive director Ed Conklin released the following statement: “The 2018 Farm Bill has wrongly been used to justify the mass production and sale of unregulated intoxicating hemp products. We support a uniform approach to regulating intoxicating THC products. That means intoxicating hemp products should be regulated the same as cannabis products. We believe that all of these products should be available for sale to adults with strict age gating and safety standards. “Rep. Mary Miller's amendment would firmly close the so-called Farm Bill loophole by further clarifying the definition of hemp to strictly cover naturally-occurring, non-intoxicating products. Today's adoption of the amendment is a strong signal that Congress is serious about addressing the national crisis posed by unregulated intoxicating hemp products.”

In response to a new rule proposed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) which would move cannabis from Schedule I down to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, US Cannabis Council Executive Director Edward Conklin released the following statement: “The US Cannabis Council strongly supports the DEA’s proposal to reclassify cannabis. Moving cannabis down to Schedule III would signal a tectonic shift away from the failed policies of the last 50 years. “Cannabis never belonged on Schedule I. Thanks to President Biden and his Administration, the federal government will soon turn the page on prohibition and set the stage for further reforms. “The proposed rule implements the recommendations of the Department of Health and Human Services, following an extensive scientific review by the Food and Drug Administration. It also happens to be overwhelmingly popular with the American public. “Our ultimate goal is federal legalization, and we see Schedule III as a necessary and critical step along the way. We will submit comments in the coming days in support of the proposed rule.”

Following the reintroduction of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Cory Booker and Ron Wyden, US Cannabis Council SVP of Public Affairs David Culver released the following statement: "We welcome today’s reintroduction of the CAOA and applaud the cosponsors for their foresight and commitment. The end of federal cannabis prohibition is within sight, and our nation will need smart legislation to usher in a new era of legal access. "The CAOA is historic in its ambition and sweeping nature. We look forward to reviewing the updated legislative text and engaging in substantive discussions about how to transition away from the illicit market to a regulated national market that provides opportunities for all. "Coming on the heels of historic rescheduling news, today’s reintroduction is a true sign of the times. We believe that moving to Schedule III will facilitate the many reforms yet to come.” # # #

In response to news reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will move cannabis from Schedule I down to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, US Cannabis Council Executive Director Edward Conklin released the following statement: “The US Cannabis Council strongly supports the move by the DEA to reclassify cannabis at a lower level under the Controlled Substances Act. President Biden and his Administration should be commended for recognizing that cannabis was wrongly classified as a Schedule I controlled substance and pursuing an administrative review to reclassify it. “The proposed DEA rule implements the recommendations of the Department of Health and Human Services, which were based on an extensive scientific review by the Food and Drug Administration. Once finalized, the reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III will mark the most significant federal cannabis reform in modern history and place the nation on a clear path toward our ultimate goal of federal legalization. “Reclassifying cannabis at Schedule III will transform the nation’s cannabis industry by ending the onerous 280E tax penalty. Under federal law, regulated cannabis operators are prevented from deducting standard business expenses–including rent and payroll–from their taxes. This results in an effective tax rate north of 70% for many operators. “Under the status quo, it is challenging to merely break even as a regulated cannabis business. Moving to Schedule III will boost cannabis businesses of all sizes – particularly independent and social equity operators – and make the regulated market much more competitive with the larger illicit market. The net effect will be that more Americans will legally purchase cannabis from licensed retailers that enforce age restrictions and sell safe, high-quality products. “More broadly, the DEA’s proposed rule would provide a range of benefits by recognizing the therapeutic value and low abuse risk of cannabis while signaling to the criminal justice system that cannabis should be a lower priority. Most importantly, it will mark a formal end to the more than 50 years that cannabis has been improperly classified as Schedule I–alongside heroin–and placed at the center of our nation's destructive drug war. “Moving to Schedule III represents a tectonic shift in our nation’s drug laws. The US Cannabis Council is committed to ending federal cannabis prohibition, and we believe that reclassification is a necessary and critical step toward that goal. In the coming days, we will submit comments to the DEA in support of the proposed rule.”

"The US Cannabis Council applauds President Biden for highlighting cannabis reform as an issue of national concern during his State of the Union address. The President has issued historic pardons for nonviolent cannabis offenses and initiated a groundbreaking review of the status of cannabis under federal law. Tonight's remarks before a national audience signal the President's ongoing commitment to advancing cannabis reform. We are encouraged by what we heard this evening and optimistic that the Biden Administration will move cannabis down to Schedule III this year."

In response to President Biden’s expansion of pardons for cannabis use and possession, US Cannabis Council SVP of Public Affairs David Culver issued the following statement: “When President Biden was running for office, he pledged to reform federal cannabis laws and grant pardons for nonviolent cannabis offenses. As the third year of his presidency comes to a close, the president has made great strides toward these goals. “Today’s pardons are an expansion of those granted in October of last year, when President Biden also initiated an administrative review of the status of cannabis under federal law. As a result of the review, the Drug Enforcement Administration is poised to move cannabis down to Schedule III, following more than five decades as a Schedule I drug. “The Biden Administration is well on its way toward delivering the most impactful cannabis reform in history. We applaud President Biden for his ongoing commitment to reforming cannabis laws and addressing the harms of our nation’s failed drug war. Taken together, his actions represent tangible progress toward ending federal cannabis prohibition and expunging cannabis charges at all levels of government.”