Earlier this month, the House of Representatives was poised to vote on the MORE Act (Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act) – a very dangerous bill that would have fully legalized marijuana in federal law. When we informed you of this bill, many of you responded and Congress heard the outcry from thousands of concerned Americans.
The good news: Nancy Pelosi canceled the MORE Act vote.
The bad news: The marijuana lobby is back and the House is now poised to vote on legislation to financially legitimize the marijuana industry.
The ugly news: House Democrat leadership has snuck the Big Marijuana bill into COVID disaster relief legislation! We need your quick action today to stop it.
You may remember our alerts on the SAFE Banking Act last year. While it passed the House of Representatives, it thankfully did not succeed in the Senate. Now Nancy Pelosi has resurrected the bill and inserted it into the Heroes Act 2.0 (on page 1687 of 2154 pages, to be exact). This is legislation she says will provide the much-needed financial assistance to those affected by COVID-19. It’s also legislation she knows her colleagues will be hard-pressed to oppose.
Big Marijuana has linked arms with Democrat leadership to exploit disaster relief legislation to line their own pockets.
Make no mistake – the so-called SAFE Banking Act is the first step toward federal legalization of marijuana. This legislation would provide federal banking privileges and prop up the marijuana industry without regard to the proven public health risks of marijuana use. In other words, the “un-SAFE Banking Act” is a backdoor green light to Big Marijuana with a front-door cash infusion to an already bloated (and largely illegal) industry that has been complicit in harmful effects to many Americans.
During a pandemic – when drug use and abuse is significantly on the rise – is the worst time to legitimize this dangerous, illegal industry with massive financial investment. That’s why your action is needed now!
A vote is expected on the Heroes Act 2.0 as soon as this evening, so please, take action now!
Respectfully,
Robert Noland
Communications Manager
Big Marijuana has already taken over Colorado and other states, and now the pot lobby has descended on D.C. in full force.
Their goal is to take that first step toward the federal legalization of marijuana. That first step is the so-called SAFE Banking Act.
Innocuous as it sounds, the SAFE Banking Act would financially legitimize the marijuana industry without regard to the proven public health risks of marijuana use – through vaping in particular. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently issued a warning against e-cigarettes containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. This warning came as the death toll from vaping-caused lung disease reached 15 – with more than 800 Americans having confirmed cases of the illness, 70 percent of which are related to vaping THC.
In other words, the “un-SAFE Banking Act” is a backdoor green light to the marijuana industry with a front-door cash infusion to an already bloated (and largely illegal) industry.
Now is NOT the time to prop up a dangerous industry through massive financial investment. And it’s NEVER the time to grant government-approved money laundering. (Despite some state laws, marijuana is still illegal under federal law!)
This legislation is the antithesis of “SAFE.” That’s why your action is needed to ensure the so-called SAFE Banking Act is defeated in the Senate!
Just like Big Marijuana’s older brother, Big Tobacco, the marijuana industry puts profits over people. The industry shows its true colors by pushing forward the un-SAFE Banking Act in the middle of the vaping crisis that both the CDC and FDA warned about—allowing billions in investment to flow to the same illegal marijuana companies creating the marijuana vapes that are causing the crisis in the first place.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has the power to stop this bill – or to let it move forward – and your own two senators need to hear from you also. Please urge your state’s two senators to respectfully request that they actively oppose the SAFE Banking Act (S. 1200). You can send the message in just a few moments on our Action Center.
Thank you for helping Senators understand the importance of this issue!
Autumn Leva, Esq.
Vice President for Strategy
P.S. If you want to see what Big Marijuana is really like in Colorado, Family Policy Alliance’s home state, check out our new video!