The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act is the most recent attempt for Congress to grant marijuana businesses access to the banking system. It is vital that the SAFE Banking Act is not passed during the lame duck session of Congress. There is an ongoing effort by Congress to pass this legislation, and we are asking that you contact your congressional delegations about opposing this legislation.
BACKGROUND
The SAFE Banking Act will make it easier for marijuana businesses to conduct business and exacerbate the negative consequences of marijuana proliferation, including increased traffic fatalities, youth use rates, ER visits and hospitalizations. Today, states are creating legal cannabis products containing as much as 99.9% THC concentration and marketing these products to children in the form of candies and cookies. The passage of the SAFE Banking Act will allow these operations to continue to expand. Additionally, the SAFE Banking Act will set a precedent to allow other federally illegal industries to gain access to the banking system.
Today’s marijuana products are highly addictive, and the total lack of public health guardrails such as potency caps, packaging and label requirements, health warnings or restrictions on advertising to youth ensures that this bill will exacerbate the negative consequences of marijuana proliferation.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Please send the sample letter below to your Congressional delegation (2 Senators and 1 member of the House of Representatives) raising concerns about the SAFE Banking Act and urging them not to pass this bill in any legislative vehicle during the lame duck session of Congress.
HOW TO DO IT
Click here to send a message to your members of Congress asking them not to pass the SAFE Banking Act during the lame duck session of Congress.
SAMPLE LETTER
Please oppose the passage of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act during the lame duck session of Congress. The bill is fatally flawed and seeks to legitimize marijuana business operations that remain illegal under federal law. Granting marijuana businesses access to the banking system will allow them to make illegal claims about their products, resulting in international drug cartels gaining an even stronger foothold in being able to launder money from other illegal activities.
The negative consequences associated with the growth of the marijuana industry, including increased traffic fatalities, youth use rates, ER visits and hospitalizations would only be further exacerbated by this legislation. Please do not pass the SAFE Banking Act in any legislative vehicle during the lame duck session of Congress.
Visit cadca.org to learn more about our substance use prevention advocacy efforts!