Why Federal Regulation?
Cannabis legalization is already happening, but federal action has been absent.
This support spans both parties and multiple generations.
Federal action is not only needed, it is inevitable.
Over 155 million Americans now live in a state with legalized, adult-use cannabis.
39 states and the District of Columbia have some form of a legal cannabis market.
- 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult-use cannabis
- 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical cannabis
Two-thirds of Americans support legalization.
U.S. adults who oppose legalization fell from 52% in 2010 to 32% in 2019.
- An overwhelming share of U.S. adults (88%) say either that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use by adults (59%) or that it should be legal for medical use only (30%).
- Just one-in-ten (10%) say marijuana use should not be legal, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Oct. 10-16, 2022.
Continued state-by-state expansion without federal oversight and coordination creates intractable problems for consumers, patients, regulators, law enforcement, and the public. Fifty states with 50 different rules for cannabis means no standardization on critical issues like product format, testing, taxation, driving under the influence, or workplace safety. It risks a regulatory race to the bottom, will not eliminate the illicit market, and will not properly protect public safety and public health. A federal cannabis regulatory framework must be realized to create a safe and equitable cannabis industry in the United States.