UPDATED - Tillis: Senate Likely To Discuss Marijuana Legalization This Year

Proposals to legalize marijuana should not be taken lightly. As you may know, I am a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and this issue will likely be discussed this Congress. If this issue comes before the Judiciary Committee or the full Senate, I will carefully consider everything you have said in making a decision on what is best for North Carolina and the country.

The above statement (emphasis added) was written by Sen. Thom Tillis, a powerful Republican from North Carolina, in a letter addressed to Rod Kight, a North Carolina lawyer and advocate for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

The reply was in response to a letter written to the Senator by Kight asking for his support on two bills which would effectively legalize marijuana at a Federal level.

Kight then penned a response to Tillis' response, which was addressed to the full Judiciary Committee. In it, he outlined his argument for the repeal of Federal prohibition.

According to the report by Business Insider, Sen. Tillis' communications director, Daniel Keylin, replied to an email from the publication claiming that Tillis is referring to a more general "discussion" between members of Congress on the issue of marijuana legalization, rather than a "specific floor action."

Tillis is not known to be an advocate for legalizing marijuana. He did, however, cosponsor a piece of legislation called The Meds Act with Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch in 2017 to expand research into the medical benefits of marijuana.

Tillis’s stance is hinted at in his letter to Kight: "For me, it is crucial that we continue to educate ourselves on all the short-term and long-term consequences of marijuana use before we consider unrestricted legalization of the drug."

Kight Responds

On the other side of this story is Rod Kight, a lawyer and staunch cannabis advocate who brings nearly two decades of experience to the ongoing battle for legalization. In his practice, Kight represents the cannabis industry and assists business with strategic planning and other necessary services related to hemp, CBD, medical marijuana, and more. His blog Kight On Cannabis provides guidance and support to farmers, scientists, and a host of others involved in the legal recreational and medical marijuana sectors.

Kight gracefully tempered his cynicism with a bit of hope when asked by PotNetwork to respond to Tillis’ earlier statements. “Given the national press that Senator Booker and the Marijuana Justice Act have had recently, I think that Tillis and other members of the Committee expect that cannabis reform will come before it in 2018 in some form,” Kight told PotNetwork via email.

“Certainly, cannabis reform will weigh heavily in midterm elections, so it makes sense that one or more bills will be sent to the Committee before then. At a minimum, it will give candidates for re-election something to talk about when the subject of cannabis is brought up.”

The Industry Moves Forward

Meanwhile, as Washington continues to sift through the weeds on an issue that has the support of more than 60 percent of the American population, executives and industry insiders continue to move forward with business as usual. With California now going into its second month of statewide legalization, the top players in the cannabis sector are confident that public opinion will win out in the long run.

PotNetwork caught up with CannaRoyalty (CNSX:CRZ) CEO Marc Lustig, whose company does business on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border, to ask him his thoughts on the recent pronouncement by Senator Thom Tillis. CannaRoyalty made news earlier this year with a bold push into the California market through the acquisition of not one, but two major west coast companies, Kaya Management Inc. and Alta Supply Inc.

"We view it, like some of the other post-Cole memo rescission efforts by bipartisan political powers, as a valid and needed effort due to the strong public support and the proven positive financial economic and societal impacts legalization across the US is having," remarked Lustig on Tillis’ efforts.

The market appears to have caught wind of the news, as cannabis stocks are slightly up this afternoon, despite a weak showing on Wall Street and the Canadian exchanges.

Marijuana Justice Act

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee with Tillis. Booker, in August of 2017, sponsored The Marijuana Justice Act, one of the two bills being considered.

Reps. Barbara Lee and Ro Khanna of California, along with 12 other Democrats also introduced a companion bill to the Marijuana Justice Act in the House.

The proposed legislation would expunge federal arrests and incarcerations for marijuana use and possession. It would also remove marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act.

Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017

The other bill being batted around by the Senate, Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017, is actually a series of federal marijuana decriminalization bills which have been introduced multiple times in the United States Congress since 2011.

This bill also seeks to end Federal prohibition of marijuana by removing Marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act. It would eliminate federal penalties for the import, export, manufacture, distribution, or possession of marijuana, and allow the shipment and transportation of marijuana between states and to and from foreign states.

The bill would transfer the authority to regulate marijuana from the Drug Enforcement Administration to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The Letter

Here's the full text of Tillis' letter:

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts regarding the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me and welcome the opportunity to respond.

Proposals to legalize marijuana should not be taken lightly. I understand that many individuals believe marijuana use is benign. The fact remains, however, that marijuana use can result in adverse health consequences, particularly among adolescents. It goes without saying that a product which has adverse psychological and physiological impacts on its user can ultimately harm third parties. For me, it is crucial that we continue to educate ourselves on all the short-term and long-term consequences of marijuana use before we consider unrestricted legalization of the drug. It is my goal to pursue policies that protect our nation’s youth from the dangerous consequences of illegal drug use and help produce productive and responsible members of society.

As you may know, I am a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and this issue will likely be discussed this Congress. If this issue comes before the Judiciary Committee or the full Senate, I will carefully consider everything you have said in making a decision on what is best for North Carolina and the country.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. It is important for elected officials to hear directly from citizens on issues that affect the state and the nation.  Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me again about other important issues.