Godfather of Cannabis Accepts Inaugural Earl Blumenauer Trailblazer Award

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, accepted the inaugural Earl Blumenauer Trailblazer award from NORML at the 2024 National Cannabis Festival Policy Summit. The award celebrates lawmakers who blaze a path toward cannabis legalization.

"This is a great honor. As somebody who has been fighting this battle for over half a century, I hope it inspires all of us to redouble our efforts and make this the year we finally end the failed war on drugs. We are in the midst of a revolution and Joe Biden could help make landmark progress. It wouldn't just have profound political impact, it is absolutely the right thing to do," said Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

"After more than half a century fighting for cannabis justice, we are at the cusp of momentous change, and we absolutely would not be here without Earl Blumenauer," said Keith Stroup, founder of NORML. "We are incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to bestow this award on him in honor of his courage and leadership, and also in the hopes that many other lawmakers will follow the path he has charted."

Since 1973, Congressman Earl Blumenauer has led the nation in cannabis reform. In 2012, Blumenauer and then-Representative Jared Polis founded the Marijuana Working Group. Blumenauer and Polis released the first comprehensive legislative blueprint to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis federally. In 2017, Blumenauer, with Representatives Polis, Young, and Rohrabacher founded the Congressional Cannabis Caucus which continues to lead Congress in common-sense cannabis reform.

In 2020, Blumenauer's Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act became the first and only comprehensive legalization legislation to pass either chamber of the United States Congress. Less than two years later, Blumenauer's Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act was signed into law by President Biden. This proposal to ease medical marijuana research was the first federal standalone marijuana reform enacted into law.

Most recently, Blumenauer has been Congress' foremost champion in demanding the Biden-Harris Administration deshedule cannabis entirely. He pressed the DEA to increase transparency in the scheduling review process. He has also urged the Administration to embrace the political benefits of cannabis reform, repeatedly making the case to cabinet secretaries.

Blumenauer continues to lead a strong, bipartisan legislative agenda that includes:

· The SAFE Banking Act to allow state-legal businesses to access standard financial services.

· The Small Business Tax Equity Act to allow state-legal businesses to take standard tax deductions associated with running a business.

· The Veterans Equal Access Act to end the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibition on supporting veterans in accessing medical cannabis.

After more than 50 years of leadership fighting to end of the failed war on drugs, Blumenauer announced in October he would not be seeking re-election.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.