Norton Panel Addresses D.C. Statehood, Cannabis Policy

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton served as a moderator for a Sept. 20 panel at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 52nd Annual Legislative Conference on the status of the District statehood, how the city’s policies on recreational and medicinal marijuana are influenced by federal laws and the intersection between the two issues.

“D.C. has legalized the possession of marijuana but has been blocked by the Congress to commercialize its use,” said Norton, 86. “I am disappointed that President Biden, even though he is pro-statehood, stands with the Congress on this.”

Norton represents the District, a jurisdiction where adults can possess up to two ounces of marijuana and cultivate no more than six plants in their primary residence without penalty. It is illegal to smoke marijuana in public in the city. Commercial sales of recreational marijuana are prohibited by Congress, which oversees the District’s laws. Medicinal marijuana use is allowed with the approval of a physician. The District is the only state-level jurisdiction in which Congress regulates local marijuana laws.

The Nexus Between D.C. Statehood and Weed Laws

Norton argues that the District should be able to regulate its marijuana laws like the states. She said passage of any laws allowing for the District to exercise control of its marijuana market won’t likely go anywhere anytime soon.

“The House is under GOP control, and they won’t take up any legislation like that this session,” Norton said. “This is the case even though they have only a four-person voting majority. The Democrats will have to win back the House for any move in that direction will take place.”

Norton told the attendees at her session not to get discouraged because full “marijuana legalization will happen.”

Dewey Ortiz Jr., a panelist, showed the film he directed called “Higher Power,” which talked about how achieving statehood will help District residents practice full autonomy over issues about marijuana. The film featured Norton, D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie (I-At Large) and former D.C. Council member David Grosso as commentators on marijuana policy in the city.

“You cannot make a documentary about Black Washingtonians and cannabis and not have a discussion without statehood,” said Ortiz, 41.

Queen Adesuyi works as a policy strategist, state and local government affairs, for the advocacy group, Color of Change. Adesuyi said there is hypocrisy among some federal lawmakers who want to regulate the District’s marijuana laws but don’t say anything about their own states.

“Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland, wants to control marijuana sales in the District but right in his own state, marijuana is fully legal for adults,” Adesuyi, 29, said.

Rafi Crockett, the producer of “Higher Power” focused most of her remarks on how the Congress undermines the District when it comes to its autonomy.

“Many of us worked 10 years to reform our criminal code,” Crockett, 46, said. “Some of the criminal laws on the books in D.C. have been legal since 1901. When we tried to change that, the Congress passed a disapproval resolution and President Biden signed it. Basically, we are always under the threat of Congress gutting our laws and the only way to stop that is with statehood.”

Linda Greene is the CEO of Anacostia Organics, a seller of medicinal marijuana in the District, located in Ward 8 in Southeast. Greene said the District should be able to tax recreational marijuana, like other states.

“States that have taxable weed have a lot of money,” she said. “District residents have to go to Maryland to get some of their weed and that should not be the case.”