REthink the Leaf

Marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system and regulated in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco. There are five jurisdictions in the Unites State that have rejected the failed prohibition of marijuana and changed their laws to legalize small amount of marijuana: Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. Four states will license and regulate production and sale of marijuana. Marijuana legalization won on the ballot in Colorado and Washington in the 2012 election, and in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., in the 2014 election.

Legalizing and regulating marijuana will bring the nation's largest cash crop under the rule of law, creating jobs and economic opportunities in the formal economy instead of the illicit market. Scarce law enforcement resources that could be better used to protect public safety would be preserved while reducing corrections and court costs. State and local governments would acquire significant new sources of tax revenue from regulating marijuana sales.



The criminalization of marijuana use disproportionately harms young people and people of color, sponsors massive levels of violence and corruption, and fails to curb youth access.


Our Commitment to Legalizing Marijuana for Adults


The Drug Policy Alliance is a leader in the movement to legalize and regulate marijuana. DPA played a pivotal role in funding and managing ballot initiative and legislative campaigns in many of the states that adopted medical marijuana laws from 1996 to 2014. Those campaigns included drafting and passing New Mexico’s 2007 law that made it the first state to license and regulate the production and distribution of marijuana through a state agency. This model served as the foundation for all medical marijuana laws that followed, as well as the successful legalization initiatives in Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Alaska.



DPA works closely with local and national allies, including organized labor, civil rights groups, parents, and law enforcement to draft initiatives, build coalitions and raise funds to advance marijuana law reform. DPA was involved financially and conceptually in each of the campaigns to legalize and regulate marijuana on the state level, starting with Prop 19 in California in 2010, which paved the way for the 2012 victories in Washington and Colorado and the 2014 victories in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, D.C. DPA plans to play a similar role as this movement advances in 2016 and beyond.



DPA also works for reform on the federal level to end federal marijuana prohibition and to protect state level reforms. Internationally, in the last several years DPA advised governments at the highest level in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia on reforming their drug policies, and advised Uruguay in its effort to establish the world’s first national system to legally regulate marijuana.

Marijuana Product Standardization and Testing

Marijuana product testing is becoming a standard requirement for legalized marijuana markets. This allows consumers to become better informed about the cannabinoid profile and potency of marijuana they consume. While universally accepted standards have not been established for testing, consumers should consider requesting information on any pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, or any other residual solvents that could remain on flowers after the cultivation process.



Testing for mold, fungus, bacteria, and other microbial organisms should be required to ensure safety and quality, as the effects of consuming some of these chemicals, especially in the immunocompromised, could be significant. Flowers and other cannabis products sold to consumers should include cannabinoid profiles, including the content of THC, CBD and other major cannabinoids, and the number and concentration of doses in a product. This is especially important for edible products, which can contain widely varying doses of cannabis. Consumers should be sure to inquire about the potency and dosage of an edible product, especially if they are a novice consumer or if the package is not clearly labeled.