"Without SAFE Banking, employees of cannabis businesses will continue to face public safety risks. Cannabis businesses are experiencing burglaries, armed robberies and thefts at disturbing rates. It is abundantly clear that leaving cannabis businesses unbanked is dangerous for both workers and the surrounding community," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.
"I think in the interim, getting more diversity in the medical system would be great and decriminalization by expanding the amount of personal possession in Florida," said DeVaughn Ward, MPP's senior legislative counsel.
"We think that this ruling is extremely flawed. It is based on the idea that Amendment A was three subjects. We all know Amendment A was the recreational cannabis legalization initiative. To say the voters weren’t able to understand Amendment A, we think that is disrespectful," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.
"It is long overdue that D.C. residents have access to safe, regulated cannabis. This legislation will boost public health and public safety in D.C.and begin to repair the past harms cannabis prohibition has caused by reinvesting in those communities and providing opportunity in the legal cannabis industry," said Olivia Naugle, MPP's legislative analyst.
"This legislation would definitely boost public health and public safety in DC and begin to repair the past harms cannabis prohibition has caused, particularly in communities of color," said Olivia Naugle, MPP's legislative analyst.
"The opioid epidemic has killed tens of thousands of Americans, so someone saying that we should not be expanding access to medical cannabis as though it’s an equally dangerous option as opioids is ridiculous," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.
"When you get to the point when half of the country has legalized for adult use, we have now set a stage for inevitability. And that begins to change the tone and tenor in Washington," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.
"This is creating hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue in other states and Maryland has the same opportunity to benefit from the economic boost of legalizing cannabis," said Olivia Naugle, MPP's legislative analyst.
"There is still a misconception among many policymakers that small-scale home cultivation of cannabis fuels the illicit market. The reality is that cannabis is difficult to grow and a person growing six to twelve plants at home has a negligible impact on the supply of cannabis in a state," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.