Members from both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have joined together to introduce the Marijuana Advertising in Legal States (MAILS) Act, which aims to halt threatening behavior by the United States Postal Service (USPS) toward state compliant newspaper publishers that wish to publish marijuana related advertisements in their publications.
Last year, USPS sent a notice to newspaper publishers in legal, recreational states warning them that it remains illegal under federal law to “place an ad in any publication with the purpose of seeking or offering illegally to receive, buy, or distribute a Schedule I controlled substance.”
The legislation was introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and is cosponsored by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Patty Murray (D-WA). On the House side, the bill is sponsored by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), joined by Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR).
“State-approved dispensaries are up and running, bringing the industry out of the shadows of the black market and creating a safe, regulated system in much of America,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said in floor remarks during the introduction of the Senate version of the bill. “Small businesses and community newspapers rely on the USPS to reach their customers, especially in rural areas. The USPS policy could have the effect of stopping all written marijuana advertisements in states that have already made the decision to legalize marijuana, which would be a blow to newspapers and small businesses that are already struggling financially.”
Enter your zip code below to contact your federal lawmakers and urge their support for this measure!
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws – Advocacy Campaigns
