Congress of the United States
Washington, BE 20515
June 5, 2018
The Honorable Michael Hancock
Mayor of Denver
1437 North Bannock Street
Denver, CO 80202
Dear Mayor Hancock,
‘As members of the bipartisan Congressional Cannabis Caucus, we write in support of your
resolution entitled “Urging Federal Support for State and Local Government Regulation of
Cannabis.” As proponents of sensible federal cannabis policies that respect state interests, we
support consideration and passage of your resolution at the 86th Annual Meeting of the United
States Conference of Mayors this month,
To date, nine states have legalized recreational cannabis usage for adults. In total, 46 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam permit some form of medical cannabis use — from
cannabis extracts to the traditional flower. Today, more than half of the American population live
in states that have adopted cannabis laws. Many of these responsible and reasonable state-
approved policies were supported by voters. According to recent polls, most Americans support
the legalization of cannabis, It is evident that a different federal approach to the issue of cannabis
is appropriate, necessary, and supported by a majority of the American public.
‘As policymakers, we agree that the federal government needs to reflect the will of the American
people regarding cannabis policy. Many of us have supported bipartisan legislation in Congress
to prevent the U.S. Department of Justice from interfering with state-legal medical cannabis
programs; many of our constituents use the therapeutic value of cannabis to manage their health
ailments, Several of us have also supported similar protections for state-legal recreational
cannabis programs. The absence of sensible federal cannabis policies can prevent state and local
‘governments from moving forward due to cannabis’ uncertain legal status and fear of potential
federal reprisal. This situation places patients, small businesses, and other stakeholders in a state
of uncertainty.
‘The legalization and sensible regulation of cannabis will spur economic growth and generate
significant tax revenue. The state-legal cannabis industry, one of the fastest growing sectors in
the country, is currently worth an estimated $7 billion and is estimated to reach about $20 billion
by 2021. If cannabis were federally legalized, federal tax revenue and jobs created would
continue to grow at a significant rate. It would be a substantial boost to state and local
economies.‘Your resolution recognizes the realities of cannabis and advocates for many of the same policies
that we support. We applaud your leadership on this important issue and urge the passage of the
resolution by the United States Conference of Mayors.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Boe Ae
J. Luis Correa
Member of Congress
Da kaw
Dana Rohrabacher
Member of Congress
Bs e Cohen
Member of Congress
Ag, ea
Dina Titus
Member of Congress
y Rosen
Member of Congress
Earl Blumenauer
Member of Congress
fember of Congress
Peter DeFazi
Member of Congress
Barbara Lee
Member of Congress
Pramila Jayapal
Member of Congfess
Ted Liew
Member of Congress,Ce:
The Honorable Mark Farrell
Mayor of San Francisco, CA
The Honorable Carolyn Goodman
Mayor of Las Vegas, NV
‘The Honorable Eric Garcetti
Mayor of Los Angeles, CA
The Honorable Ted Wheeler
Mayor of Portland, OR
The Honorable Jenny Durkan
Mayor of Seattle, WA
‘The Honorable Christopher Cabaldon
Mayor of West Sacramento, CA
‘Tom Cochran
CEO and Executive Director
United States Conference of Mayors