A’ZON DOOBIE DO
Backs bill to OK pot at fed level
Amazon endorsed a Republicanbacked bill in Congress on Tuesday that would legalize marijuana on a federal level, leaving states to decide whether to prohibit or regulate it.
Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) States Reform Act would remove cannabis as a federal Schedule I substance and introduce a new 3% federal tax on the substance.
Revenue from the tax would be routed to help fund law enforcement and veterans’ health programs — and cannabis would remain illegal nationwide for anyone under 21 except for medical marijuana patients.
Feds ‘out of the way’
“Every state is different and every state should be able to dictate their cannabis laws,” Mace told The Post in an interview. “This bill would get the federal government out of the way.”
In a tweet on Tuesday, Amazon’s public-policy arm said it was “pleased to endorse” Mace’s proposal.
“Like so many in this country, we believe it’s time to reform the nation’s cannabis policy and Amazon is committed to helping lead the effort,” the company said.
Mace, a freshman congresswoman who previously worked for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, told The Post that she was approached by Amazon representatives after she introduced the bill.
She said the company was motivated to endorse her bill because legal issues around marijuana can make hiring difficult.
“They’re looking at it from a workers’ perspective,” Mace said in an interview. “The prohibitions at the federal level really do affect their workforce.”
Amazon told Mace that it is not interested in selling marijuana on its Web site, according to the congresswoman.
“That is not their goal, not their intention,” Mace said of the prospect of Amazon pushing pot. “They said that right off the bat.”
In June, Amazon stopped testing many job applicants for marijuana and said that it would support efforts to legalize the drug.
Eyeing Dem support
Mace expects Democrats, many of whom have supported weed legalization for years, to come out in support of her bill. She argued that Republicans are also likely to support her bill because it gives more power to states — and because weed legalization is extremely popular nationwide.
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.