Ever since states started legalizing cannabis, the sector has existed in a precarious position, allowed by state law but prohibited by federal law. More than once, consumers have found themselves penalized for doing activities that are allowed by state law, such as consuming cannabis, by organizations that abide by federal law.
For starters, military service members who are found in possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana are eligible for a maximum punishment of dishonorable discharge, two-year confinement, and forfeiture of all their pay and allowances.
Given that some studies have found that cannabis can help alleviate the PTSD many active and retired service members suffer from, these penalties are quite harsh. Possession of more than 30 grams of cannabis can result in up to five years of confinement. Consequently, Rep. Anthony Brown has introduced a new bill to Congress that would do away with most of these harsh penalties.
The Restoring Equity for Offenses Related to Marijuana (REFORM) Act would make it so that the penalties for using marijuana wrongfully do not exceed the penalties for being found while on duty. Furthermore, the text of the legislation states that the punishment for wrongful cannabis possession shouldn’t exceed the penalties for incapacitation for work due being drunk or having used a drug.
Compared to the penalties military service members are subject to if they are found in wrongful possession of cannabis, being incapacitated for duty due to alcohol consumption can lead one to forfeit two-thirds of their salary for three months or confinement for three months. Service members who are drunk while on duty face discharge due to bad conduct, total forfeiture of their pay and allowances, and up to nine months of confinement.
Brown’s bill seeks to remove the disparity between the punishments for alcohol and cannabis possession and use. Speaking to Marijuana Moment, he noted that cannabis prosecutions tend to disproportionately affect service members of color. Black service members are even more likely to be investigated and prosecuted for offenses connected to drugs, he notes. Calling the current zero-tolerance marijuana policy outdated, he says that it is “disconnected from the present reality,” especially when considering the fact that many service members enlist from states with legal cannabis markets.
On top of equalizing the penalties for cannabis and alcohol use, the REFORM Act would also require that military branches send annual reports about drug evaluation and testing programs to congressional defense committees.
As the hallmarks of cannabis prohibition initiated decades ago are rolled back, people are discovering plenty of cutting-edge cannabis cultivation technologies, such as the Grow Pods manufactured by Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) leading to superior marijuana products than those sourced from illicit vendors on the street.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX
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