This week, a letter led by Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Don Beyer, Jared Huffman, Mondaire Jones, Barabara Lee, and cosigned by 25 other members, called on the Biden Administration to “…act within its power to stop legitimizing unfair cannabis laws.”
The letter was sent on the heels of reporting in The Daily Beast, alleging that “dozens of young White House staffers have been suspended, asked to resign, or placed in a remote work program due to past marijuana use.”
The congressional letter concludes “You have previously expressed your commitment to decriminalizing cannabis in acknowledgment that a cannabis conviction or even the stigma of cannabis use can ruin lives and prevent people from voting, gaining employment, and contributing to society. You can meet this moment and help end our failed punitive policy of cannabis prohibition.”
At the time of the allegations going public, NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said: “This sort of ‘Flat Earth’ mentality refuses to recognize the reality that millions of Americans currently engage in the use of cannabis in a manner that is compliant with the laws of their states, and that these people are at no greater risk for occupational accidents or injuries. They should not be singled out and discriminated against solely for this activity, and it is highly inappropriate for the Biden Administration to take these punitive actions.”
Additionally this week, Representative David Joyce sent his own stand-alone letter to President Biden, asking “…that your administration discontinue punishment of staff for being honest about their prior cannabis use and reinstate otherwise qualified individuals to their posts.”
You can see dozens of peer-reviewed articles and reports on our factsheet entitled: Marijuana Legalization and Impact on the Workplace.
Read the full letter from 30 members of Congress led by Rep. Blumenauer below:
Read the full letter from Rep. Joyce here:
