Recreational Cannabis and Trump

Friends and Members,

We know many of you have heard the news about the most recent press conference where White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer indicated that the Department of Justice was going to be looking at "recreational" cannabis programs and likely to be stepping up enforcement. Recreational cannabis was also compared to the opioid epidemic in the same response.

We at the Oregon Cannabis Association want you to know that we are hopeful this does not mean a wholesale shutdown to the recreational cannabis market here in Oregon or anywhere. We recognize that there will be many challenges in the days to come if, in fact, the new Attorney General makes good on the statements made during today's press conference.

We, as an organization, will continue to do our best to support all facets of the industry as the new administration develops it's policy position.

We also want to remind everyone that we stand by the following:

- The cannabis industry is the greatest new job creator and revenue generator we have seen in a very long time and these new businesses pay living wages, are small, family-run businesses and help fund, through taxes, schools, law enforcement and much more.

- Cannabis legalization has more support than almost any other issue out there with twenty eight states, including red ones, having some sort of cannabis program. And, in all but one state where adult use was on the ballot, it passed. In a recent poll 71% of those asked believed that States should be able to make their own regulations regarding cannabis legalization.

- There is no rolling back a movement with so much momentum and strength behind it.

- At the end of the day, this is fundamentally a state's rights issue and the state's must be allowed to create and regulate their own program.

We will continue to do our best to keep everyone updated as we learn more.

Everyone be safe out there.

Onward!

The Oregon Cannabis Association