A pair of Missouri lawmakers on Tuesday filed resolutions urging President Joe Biden to end marijuana criminalization, provide executive relief to those caught up in the drug war and condemn what some view as racial disparities in how athletic organizations apply drug-testing standards. Missouri has become a hotbed for cannabis policy reform efforts in recent weeks, with lawmakers introducing proposals to legalize marijuana at the state level while activists continue to work to put the reform on the state’s 2022 ballot. nAs those broader policy proposals move through the process, Rep. Dottie Bailey (R) has put forward a resolution that condemns the decision by international sports associations to ban U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson from participating in last year’s Olympics after testing positive for marijuana while this year allowing a Russian skater to compete despite testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. Richardson herself said she felt the decision-making in the separate cases spoke to a racial double standard. And Bailey’s resolution agreed that “this double standard is indicative of extreme anti-American and racial bias.” The measure calls on Biden to “end the domestic prohibition against marijuana, support our American athletes, and condemn the racist double standard that kept an American Olympic qualifier from competition for marijuana use.” It further calls on the House clerk to prepare the resolution to be sent to the president and congressional leaders upon passage.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 03/02/2022 10:50:00