Dear Donald: Cannabis Groups' Letter To Trump Urges Reform, Including Gun Rights For Marijuana Users

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) issued a memo urging President-elect Donald Trump to prioritize federal cannabis reforms.

The document outlines several key actions including ending federal marijuana prohibition, safeguarding gun rights for cannabis consumers, promoting banking access for the industry and expanding clemency for those impacted by past cannabis criminalization.

The memo acknowledges Trump's recent support for cannabis reforms, including his endorsement of legalization and banking reform during his campaign. The communication provides a detailed roadmap for achieving these objectives, emphasizing the need for federal policy to align with public opinion and state laws, reported Marijuana Moment.

"Like alcohol prohibition before it, marijuana prohibition has failed. It has also become quite unpopular," the memo reads.

The proposal calls for an end to "the federal criminalization of marijuana, allowing states to decide cannabis policy without undue federal interference." Trump has expressed support for this approach in the past, including backing Florida's cannabis legalization amendment though the measure ultimately failed.

Short of full legalization, MPP and NORML recommended that the new administration advance the rescheduling of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, formalize a non-interference policy for state cannabis laws and endorse bipartisan legislation to protect banks working with state-licensed marijuana businesses from federal penalties.

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Gun Rights For Cannabis Users

The memo also touches on the need to restore Second Amendment rights for cannabis users, end federal housing benefit restrictions for marijuana consumers, and ensure that past cannabis use does not disqualify individuals from federal employment. Additionally, it advocates for expanded pardons for those with federal marijuana-related offenses and urges the administration to remove barriers to cannabis research and allow Washington, D.C. to establish a regulated adult-use marijuana market.

"By removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act like alcohol or tobacco, President Trump can reduce federal overreach and increase liberty," the memo states.

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"Please don't hesitate to reach out to explore these and other policies that the second Trump Administration can make to advance liberty and allow states to choose their own marijuana policies," wrote MPP's Karen O'Keefe and NORML's Morgan Fox.

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Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Shaleah Craighead and Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons and Kindel Media on Pexels