FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2023
CONTACT:
Erin Moffet, Erin@TheLiaisonGroup.com, (276) 698-4856
NATIONAL CANNABIS ROUNDTABLE PRAISES REINTRODUCTION OF HOPE ACT TO AID CANNABIS EXPUNGEMENTS
Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) announced its strong support of the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act recently reintroduced by Congressman Dave Joyce (R-OH), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). This bipartisan bill would provide federal grants to support local and state governments to establish or expand programs to expunge minor cannabis-related offenses from individuals’ records.
Saphira Galoob, Executive Director of the National Cannabis Roundtable, released the following statement:
“Criminal justice reform is intertwined with and integral to federal cannabis reform. While the President took historic action last fall by pardoning all those with federal convictions for simple marijuana possession, congressional action is needed to assist with expungement efforts taking place on the state and local level – where the majority of simple cannabis charges occur. Furthermore, only through expungements can we lift the barriers on employment, education, and housing opportunities for those who have already been unjustly harmed by federal prohibition. With cannabis programs now in 38 states, to continue to hold back and punish individuals for what is now a state-legal activity is the definition of unjust, and NCR thanks U.S. Representatives Joyce and Ocasio-Cortez for their efforts to have Congress help correct these wrongs at long last.”
The National Cannabis Roundtable is an alliance of cannabis companies, as well as ancillary services and solutions providers, who seek cannabis reform that nurtures the nascent domestic industry, protects consumers, and advances social equity.
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