Congressman Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Representative for Oregon’s 3rd congressional district, will be presenting at the first annual International Cannabis Business Conference in Portland, OR this September. The conference focuses on the emerging billion dollar cannabis industry and features an impressive list of experts in the cannabis industry. Blumenauer is by far the most outspoken representative in the nation on the issue of reforming cannabis laws; he has been advocating for sensible policy at the state and federal level for over 40 years. In February Blumenauer drafted a letter to President Obama signed by 18 Members of Congress requesting “Attorney General Holder to delist or reclassify marijuana in a more appropriate way, at the very least eliminating it from Schedule I or II.”
Along with the letter he wrote to the President in February, Blumenauer has also backed H.R. 2652 – the Marijuana Business Access to Banking Act of 2013 – as well as Measure 91, Oregon’s legalization measure. He also co-authored a report last year with Colorado’s Jared Polis titled The Path Forward: Rethinking Federal Marijuana Policy. In brief, the report lays out five steps for a sensible federal marijuana policy:
1. Tax and Regulate Marijuana
2. Allow states to enact existing medical marijuana laws without federal interference
3. Remove ban on industrial hemp
4. Allow the marijuana industry to operate in a normal business environment
5. Create a sensible drug policy working group
Congressman Blumenauer received NORML’s Award for Outstanding Public Leadership in 2010 and is the first person to be honored with the Cannabis Industry Legislative Leadership Award in 2013. His dedication to legalization of cannabis and his outspokenness on the issue is unrivaled by any other United States Representative. Blumenauer is slated to speak about federal tax reform at the conference, a topic that he has been outspoken on for decades. His experience and advocacy for repeal of cannabis prohibition makes him the leading expert nationwide on this topic – his work and call for reform is shaping the new approach to marijuana in the United States.
Badges for the two day conference start at $499 and can be purchased online; at Rip City Remedies in Portland; at Northwest Alternative Health locations in Eugene and Medford as well as Ashland Alternative Health, or via phone by calling 1-888-920-6076. The first event of its kind, the conference provides a unique opportunity to meet and greet leading experts in the cannabis industry. This is an event that cannabis activists, advocates, and entrepreneurs can not afford to miss.
