# Understanding the RESPECT Resolution

This resolution is essentially a call to action asking states and cities to fix what supporters see as unfair consequences from decades of marijuana prohibition. It's not a law that forces anyone to do anything—it's more like a formal recommendation from Congress to state and local governments about how they should handle cannabis policy going forward.

The core argument behind this resolution is that marijuana prohibition has hurt certain communities far more than others. The resolution points out that Black Americans are arrested for cannabis possession at nearly four times the rate of white Americans, even though usage rates are similar. It also notes that people of color have received much harsher sentences for drug crimes and now make up a tiny fraction of the legal cannabis business owners, even though cannabis is legal in many states. The resolution argues this is unfair and suggests specific ways to level the playing field.

The resolution recommends that states and cities take several concrete steps to address these inequities. These include automatically clearing old marijuana convictions from people's records at no cost, making it easier for people with past drug convictions to get licenses to run cannabis businesses, keeping licensing fees reasonable so small operators can afford them, and setting aside a portion of cannabis tax revenue to help communities that were hit hardest by drug enforcement. It also suggests that states prioritize giving cannabis business licenses to long-time residents, lower-income individuals, and people who were previously incarcerated or had drug convictions. Additionally, the resolution encourages states to eliminate drug testing requirements for regular jobs and to stop punishing people on probation or parole for using cannabis legally under state law.

Finally, the resolution includes a broader international component, urging the President to work with the United Nations to remove cannabis from international drug control treaties so other countries might follow the U.S. lead on cannabis reform.

RESPECT Resolution

Lee, Barbara

Realizing Equitable &amp; Sustainable Participation in Emerging Cannabis Trades Resolution or the RESPECT ResolutionThis resolution encourages states and localities to adopt best practices and take bold steps to address disparities in the cannabis marketplace and to address, reverse, and repair the effects of the war on drugs on communities of color. The resolution also expresses the sense that&nbsp;the President should direct the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to seek to treat cannabis as a legal commodity.