Rep. Jared Polis to host day of marijuana panels in Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON D.C. — Rep. Jared Polis is hosting an expo and series of panels on Capitol Hill focused on the need to legalize marijuana federally.

The Marijuana Big Thinker Talks will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., May 3, in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington. The talks will feature medical experts, analysts, business leaders, athletes and officials from the local, state and federal level highlighting the cannabis industry.

“Times have changed over the past few years, and I’m thrilled to be hosting the first ever Marijuana Big Thinker Talks at the United States Capitol,” Polis said in a prepared statement. “I hope lawmakers will use these discussions as a resource to understand the legitimacy of the cannabis industry. Now that a majority of Americans reside in a part of the country that has legalized medical or recreational cannabis, it’s time for Congress to act and pass federal cannabis legislation.”

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Polis will serve as the keynote speaker, along with Rick Upchurch, an NFL legend and founder of the Gridiron Cannabis Foundation, and Al Harrington, a former NBA player and cannabis activist.

Polis recently reintroduced the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, which specifically removes marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and transitions marijuana jurisdiction from the Drug Enforcement Agency to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The schedule includes:

8:30 a.m. —  Authenticity and Advocacy: Gail Rand, patient advocate for ForwardGro.
9:00 a.m. — How to Neutralize Third Rail Issues like Drug Policy Reform for Elected Officials: Sanho Tree, director of drug policy project at the Institute for Policy Studies.
9:30 a.m. — The Use of Medical Cannabinoids & Health Care Options in Regulated States: Dr. Ken Miller & Nial DeMena, Manna Molecular Science.
10:00 a.m. — Marijuana Business 101: How to pay your 80% Income Tax Rate in Cash to the IRS – A Primer:  Rachel Gillette, cannabis attorney with Greenspoon Marder P.A.
10:30 a.m — Immigration Policy and Marijuana Convictions: Stan Garnett, Boulder County D.A.
11:00 a.m. — Let’s Stop Asking “Should we Legalize Marijuana?”: Andrew Freedman, co-founder and partner, Freedman Koski Inc.
11:30 a.m. — Marijuana, Veterans, and Healthy Living: Mikey Sorensen and Keven Roelfs, veteran philanthropists
12:15 p.m.  — Keynote Conversation: Congressman Jared Polis, NFL Legend Rick Upchurch, founder of the Gridiron Cannabis Foundation, and Al Harrington, former NBA player and cannabis activist