Amazon Pledges Support in Effort to Legalize Weed in the U.S.
Looks like one of the nations leading employers is pushing for change when it comes to marijuana laws in the U.S. The nation's second-biggest private employer says they will lead the charge for reformed weed laws.
Amazon has announced it will end its reemployment marijuana testing policy, and lend its support to legislative efforts at marijuana policy reform.
Amazon Weighing In On Marijuana Policy
Amazon's senior vice president of human resources, Beth Galetti, says it's time to reform the weed laws on a national level. The majority of people in the U.S. agree with her. (More on that below.)
According to a report from CBSNews, Beth Galetti wrote a post on Amazon's blog on Tuesday, September 21, saying, "We strongly believe the time has come to reform the nation's cannabis policy, and we are committed to helping lead the effort. Today's status quo is unfair and untenable."
Galetti addressed Amazon's decision to stop pre-employment marijuana testing in June: "Pre-employment marijuana testing disproportionately impacts people of color and acts as a barrier to employment, we've found that eliminating pre-employment testing for cannabis allows us to expand our applicant pool."
Backing Specific Legislation
Amazon supports a couple of different efforts to end the federal ban on marijuana, such as a House bill titled Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021 and a Senate titled Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act.
Legalization of marijuana has grown over the years with Connecticut becoming the 19 state to legalize recreational use and according to a CBS poll, the majority of Americans support the policy with 55%, or 6 in 10 people, saying they want legal weed in their state.
Marijuana Policy Change Efforts in Texas
Here in Texas, small steps in that direction, but there's a long way to go before you can legally put marijuana to recreational use in the Lone Star State.
Some supports of change see a glimmer of hope after a court overturned Texas' ban on the manufacture, distribution, and retail sale of smokable hemp products.
According to the Pew Research Center, 60% of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana for both medical and recreational use, while 31% are at least in favor of legal medical use.
With the support of the nation's second-biggest private employer, maybe decriminalization or even legalization of weed is right around the corner.
States Where Recreational Marijuana is Legal
14 Texas Eats We Can't Live Without