The American Bar Association aka ABA adopted a resolution during their annual meeting Monday, urging members of Congress to end cannabis prohibition.
The ABA’s report, (which can be read in full here in the original story on Marijuana Moment), states that the current federal law is in conflict with state laws that allow medicinal and recreational use of cannabis. As such, this makes it exceedingly difficult for cannabusinesses in legal states to be compliant with state and federal laws. Current federal laws also bar businesses that work with cannabis (no matter how remotely) from working with banks, forcing them to deal in cash, which is akin to painting a large target on their heads. The American Bar Association’s report called the current arrangement “untenable.”
Before we get ahead of ourselves, the ABA is not endorsing the legalization of cannabis. The report calls for the rescheduling or complete removal of cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, citing that we know a lot more about the medicinal value of cannabis than we did four decades ago. It makes no sense for cannabis to be seen as more dangerous than methamphetamine. Even just rescheduling cannabis would make life much easier for cannapreneurs. At the very least they wouldn’t get robbed anymore.
Will This Change Anything?
The ABA’s opinion is not likely to change anything. They don’t have any power to write or change laws. They can however be highly influential when it comes to swaying the opinions of congressmen. We know that a good chunk of Congress is for reforming existing laws, so maybe this is the little push they need.
Source: Marijuana Moment
Image Source: Medium.com
Will the American Bar Association’s report lead to cannabis reform? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!