Our Principles
Our coalition is working to create the best possible policy solution for cannabis regulation.
Principle Priorities
Good Governance
The regulatory system shall only contain laws, rules, and regulations that are predictable, equitable, achievable, internally consistent, and enforceable. The cannabis industry shall comply with comprehensive inventory control, quality control, and quality assurance program.
Promote Research
Policies should be designed to promote significant growth in properly designed research studies: (1) Cannabis policy should underscore the importance of and expedite critical research required to understand the benefits and harms of cannabis use. (2) Where avoidable harm is demonstrated, the cannabis regulatory system should do whatever is practicable to mitigate that harm. (3) Regulation and incentives should facilitate the development of FDA-approved cannabis and cannabis-derived while prohibiting the marketing of cannabis products with medical claims that are not supported by requisite FDA approval.
Public Policy Principles
Intoxicating Hemp
As Congress deliberates a federal framework for hemp products under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and whether that should include intoxicating hemp, any subsequent framework should be grounded in science and reflect best practices and lessons learned from federal regulation of highly regulated products.
Youth Use Prevention
Legalization should draw upon all available best practices from tobacco, alcohol, opioids, and other substances to prevent non-medical underage cannabis use.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Prevention
Legalization should draw upon all available best practices to prevent and treat cannabis use disorder, functional substance abuse, and misuse that has a deleterious effect on a consumer’s quality of life.
Impaired Driving
Legalization must include a holistic plan to deal with impaired driving. A federal framework must also include approaches to filling current gaps in impaired driving data with appropriate research studies.
Criminal Justice Reform
CPEAR supports cannabis legalization approaches that acknowledge the disproportionate harms criminal prohibition has had, especially on people of color and their communities. We back efforts to clear cannabis-related criminal records.
Small Business and Market Access
CPEAR endorses approaches that promotes market access for small businesses in the industry and provides restorative opportunities for communities in which they reside. We also support policies that ensure all entrepreneurs have a fair opportunity to participate in the legal cannabis industry. Reducing unnecessary barriers to entry will foster competition, expand economic growth, and create jobs.
Patient Access
Patients should not be denied the opportunity to try cannabis because of limited research resulting from decades of federal inaction.
Sound Tax Policy
The cannabis market requires regulation, and that regulation should be funded with reasonable taxes imposed on cannabis and cannabinoid products.
Environmental Sustainability
Legalization regulations should address environmental concerns by promoting sustainable and water usage, as well as promoting growing practices in a manner that does not lead to negative outcomes for poorer communities
Fair Opportunity & Market Access
We support policies that ensure all entrepreneurs and communities impacted by past policies have a fair opportunity to participate in the legal cannabis industry. Reducing unnecessary barriers to entry will foster competition, expand economic growth, and create jobs.