WSWA Announces Commitment to Federal Legalization and Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America believes the time has come for Congress to comprehensively legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis at the federal level.
Building on a Nearly a Century of Safe, Responsible Alcohol Regulation
The transition from Prohibition to legal status for alcohol has been an American success story.
Since the enactment of the 21st Amendment, a safe, consumer-centric and economically vibrant marketplace has developed — one that serves the dual needs of regulators and consumers. While individual regulations have been modified over time, the basic federal regulatory structure of permitting and tax collection has stood the test of time.
Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult-use cannabis, yet the markets in these states remain illegal under federal law. The current conflict between state and federal cannabis law is not only currently causing adverse consequences for consumers and non-consumers alike but will have long term public health and safety costs that are too great to ignore.
Ultimately, we believe that the societal cost of inaction is too great and that the time has come for Congress to act. Legalization of cannabis is a big task with many layers worthy of serious discussion and benefits from ever-growing nationwide public support.
As policymakers consider the future of adult-use cannabis, America’s wine and spirits wholesalers believe it is important to share the learnings of our industry and advocate for comprehensive federal reform and regulation.

“I applaud the States that have legalized [cannabis] in a responsible way. But we're at this sort of turning point in time. This could be one of the few areas where we have bipartisan consensus.”
- Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) opening a WSWA panel event discussing the responsible, legal regulation of adult-use cannabis.
The Four Pillars of Safe, Responsible Cannabis Legalization & Regulation
WSWA’s four principles for federal adult-use cannabis regulation build on the successes of the federal beverage alcohol regulatory model.

In The News:
Cannabis Regulation
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Apr 03, 2023
In an address in front of all three-tiers of the beverage alcohol industry, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Chairman Tom Cole calls on industry colleagues to apply lessons learned from alcohol regulation to cannabis legalization, regulation.
