Western Regional Cannabis Business Alliance Launches to Advocate on behalf of Legal Cannabis State Marketplaces
WESTERN REGIONAL CANNABIS Business Alliance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2018
Contact: Aaron Pickus, WRCBA, media@wrcba.org
Cary Carrigan, Executive Director, Alaska Marijuana Industry Association
Western Regional Cannabis Business Alliance Launches to Advocate on behalf of Legal Cannabis State Marketplaces American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Arizona form new regional business alliance as 60% of Americans now have access to legal cannabis state marketplaces
WASHINGTON – Today the Western Regional Cannabis Business Alliance (WRCBA) announced its formation on behalf of its members representing legal cannabis business owners across the country. At its formation, the WRCBA represents legal cannabis business owners in Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp.
“We are honored to join our industry peers in other regulated states’ regulated cannabis industries as we continue to advocate on behalf of Alaska’s legal marketplace,” said Cary Carrigan, Executive Director of The Alaska Marijuana Industry Association. “As a member of the Western Regional Cannabis Business Alliance, we will work to support cannabis laws, regulations and policies at the regional- and federal-levels of government that uphold the safety, viability and quality of legal state cannabis marketplaces. We look forward to our members continuing to invest in legal marketplaces created by overwhelming public approval, helping to create tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in state tax revenue.”
In one of its first actions following its formation, the WRCBA sent a letter to Congressional leaders (attached) requesting language for the FY19 Appropriations Bill to be considered this month by Congress that would, “protect businesses that are upholding a safer, legal and regulated cannabis marketplace in our states.” This language would not legalize cannabis at the federal level, but it would protect business owners, recreational consumers, and patients from the fear of federal action following Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ rescinding of the Cole Memorandum. The language would read:
The Department of Justice shall not expend federal funds that would prevent states from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of Cannabis.
Countless law-abiding businesses have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the State-regulated cannabis industry that experts estimate to be worth close to $10 billion dollars today. The Alaska industry continues to be robust and contributes in a meaningful way to not only the state tax base, but in various meaningful community endeavors to help our fellow Alaskans from our AMIA chapters statewide.
The WRCBA is comprised of state associations from Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Arizona committed to upholding the safety, viability and quality of their respective regulated cannabis marketplaces and strengthening a safer system than the black marketplace that strives to keep cannabis products away from minors.
