Amazon has endorsed a Republican-backed invoice in Congress on Tuesday that will legalize marijuana on a federal degree, leaving states to resolve whether or not to ban or regulate it.
Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) States Reform Act would take away hashish as a federal Schedule I substance and introduce a brand new 3% federal tax on the substance.
Income from the tax can be routed assist fund legislation enforcement and veterans’ well being applications — and hashish would stay unlawful nationwide for anybody below 21 aside from medical marijuana sufferers.
“Each state is totally different and each state ought to be capable of dictate their hashish legal guidelines,” Mace advised The Submit in an interview. “This invoice would get the federal authorities out of the way in which.”
In a tweet on Tuesday, Amazon’s public coverage arm mentioned it was “happy to endorse” Mace’s proposal.
“Like so many on this nation, we imagine it’s time to reform the nation’s hashish coverage and Amazon is dedicated to serving to lead the hassle,” the corporate mentioned.
Mace, a freshman Congresswoman who beforehand labored for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential marketing campaign, advised The Submit that she was approached by Amazon representatives after she launched the invoice.
She mentioned the corporate was motivated to endorse her invoice as a result of authorized points round marijuana could make hiring troublesome.
“They’re it from a staff perspective,” Mace mentioned in an interview. “The prohibitions on the federal degree actually do have an effect on their workforce.”
Amazon advised Mace that it’s not curious about promoting marijuana on its web site, in response to the Congresswoman.
“That isn’t their objective, not their intention,” Mace mentioned of the prospect of Amazon pushing pot. “They mentioned that proper off the bat.”
In June, Amazon stopped testing many job applicants for marijuana and mentioned that it might help efforts to legalize the drug.
Mace expects Democrats, a lot of whom have supported weed legalization for years, to return out in help of her invoice. She argued that Republicans are additionally more likely to help her invoice as a result of it offers extra energy to states — and since weed legalization is extraordinarily well-liked nationwide.
“Even in my very pink state of South Carolina, statewide, medical hashish is at an approval score of 70%,” she mentioned. “If we’re going to do hashish reform on the federal degree, Republicans must have a seat on the desk.”
Mace mentioned she hadn’t spoken to representatives from different massive US firms like Walmart or FedEx concerning the invoice, however that she expects Amazon’s endorsement to push different corporations alongside.
“With Amazon popping out in help, we’ll see extra companies doing the identical,” Mace mentioned.
The invoice has 4 Republican co-sponsors, Reps. Don Younger of Alaska, Brian Mast of Florida, Tom McClintock of California and Peter Meijer of Michigan.
Amazon didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
