Two GOP congressmen are asking President Joe Biden to promptly address “discriminatory” federal marijuana enforcement issues in tribal territories, imploring him to direct the relevant agencies to prioritize more serious crimes like human trafficking and respect tribal sovereignty instead of going after cannabis.
Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Brian Mast (R-FL), the Republican co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, sent a letter to the president on Friday, seeking administrative action with respect to cannabis policy for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
The lawmakers said that they wanted to raise attention to the issue in light of Biden’s proclamation last week pardoning people who have committed federal marijuana possession offenses and his directive for an administrative review of cannabis scheduling.
“We request that you use your authority to keep the Bureau of Indian Affairs and related agencies, such as the National Indian Gaining Commission, focused on more pressing public safety and justice needs, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and human trafficking, and require such agencies to respect Tribal sovereignty moving forward,” they wrote.
“Legal, thriving cannabis programs are economic engines for Tribes,” the letter says. “Enforcing federal cannabis laws on Tribal land, especially in cases where the Tribe and
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