President Joe Biden has finally come through on a promise made on the campaign trail—albeit in a far less sweeping fashion than expected.
Last week the president commuted the sentences of 75 individuals serving time under home confinement for drug offenses and issued three pardons. Vice President Kamala Harris promised to decriminalize cannabis and release non-violent cannabis offenders while campaigning in 2019. Biden has now been in office for over a year, and this is the first move the president has made in the direction of fulfilling that promise.
The commutations were granted to low-level, non-violent drug offenders with up to four years left in their sentence. All of the commuted prisoners were being held under home confinement as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
In a statement, Biden said, “while today’s announcement marks important progress, my Administration will continue to review clemency petitions and deliver reforms that advance equity and justice, provide second chances, and enhance the wellbeing and safety of all Americans.”
CBD Company Teams Up With Motorsports
Albuquerque-based CBD company Craft 1861 has announced global partnerships with international motorsport teams that will focus on supporting health and wellness for their athletes, crews and management teams. The partnership reportedly includes Formula E racing team ROKiT Venturi Racing, the FIM MotoGP World Championship and MotoGP team Pramac Ducati Racing.
“We offer wellness protocols and hemp-derived CBD products to individuals and sporting organizations focused on healthy lifestyles,” said Craft 1861’s founder and chief revenue officer Eric Lujan, “which is the perfect match for the rising millennial racing fan. For an Albuquerque company to secure global partnerships of this magnitude is a huge win for the local community and economy.”
The multi-year partnership will also monitor athletic performance.
Bankers Request SAFE Banking Laws
A bankers’ association with representatives from all 50 states sent a letter asking lawmakers to include safe cannabis banking reform in a manufacturing bill.
The American Bankers Association (ABA) wants provisions from the SAFE Banking Act to be included in the current version of the COMPETES Act. “The SAFE Banking Act is a narrowly tailored solution designed to bring this growing industry into the regulated banking system and provide much-needed visibility into its financial activity,” the letter’s authors wrote.
The group argued that the current system forces businesses to adopt cash-only practices, leading to public health concerns over crime and “undermines the ability of cannabis regulators, tax collectors, law enforcement and national security organizations to monitor the industry effectively.”
The ABA recently released a poll that found that 65 percent of Americans are in favor of the policies presented in the SAFE Banking Act.