Amazon Joins Push For Federal Cannabis Legalization In U.S.

U.S. e-commerce giant Amazon employs about 1 million Americans to keep its business up and running. As more of those people use cannabis in marijuana-legal states, the Seattle-based retailer knows its pool of potential candidates could gradually be shrinking without help from the feds.

Last summer, Amazon announced it would no longer test many job applicants for the plant. Now, the company is going even further, putting its name behind the latest cannabis legalization bill to hit Congress, which Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) introduced back in November.

We’re pleased to endorse (Mace)’s States Reform Act,” Amazon tweeted from its public policy account on Wednesday. “Like so many in this country, we believe it’s time to reform the nation’s cannabis policy and Amazon is committed to helping lead the effort.”

Mace’s bill, named the States Reform Act, would essentially legalize medical marijuana by taking cannabis off the DEA’s list of Schedule I substances. It would also implement a 3.75 percent federal excise tax on legal sales of the plant, using the proceeds to fund law enforcement and veterans’ health programs.

Mace confirmed to the New York Post that Amazon endorsed her bill in part because hiring marijuana users poses legal hurdles. Notably, Mace said Amazon leaders have told her the platform is not interested in selling marijuana on its website. The e-commerce giant also prohibits CBD sales, though products claiming to be CBD-free hemp oil can be found in abundance.

Nine-in-10 Americans favor legalizing at least medical marijuana and over 60 percent also believe recreational cannabis should be permitted, according to the Pew Research Center. Only eight percent of Americans are against any kind of cannabis legalization.

While the Amazon endorsement is a positive sign for ending federal prohibition, the Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress has yet to make any meaningful progress since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.

Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged federal action would be taken to at least take the plant off the Schedule 1 list of banned drugs by April 20 of this year. But Biden has remained relatively quiet on cannabis since taking office. He campaigned in favor of decriminalizing the plant, not legalizing it, and his position has been confirmed since then by White House press secretary Jen Psaki.