The National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) announced on Thursday it added former Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-Col.) to its roster of federal policy advisors who pushed for cannabis reform for years.
Perlmutter joined former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Col.), former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jim Cole, former Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius and former Speaker John Boehner, who already serves at NCR.
Before retiring at the end of the 117th Congress, Perlmutter represented Colorado’s 7th Congressional District for eight terms.
He was at the forefront of cannabis banking reform for years, as the lead sponsor of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act.
During his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives Perlmutter fought for “common-sense” cannabis reforms, NCR said in a press release. He was a long-term member of the House Financial Services Committee.
“Ten years ago, when I first introduced SAFE Banking, I never could have imagined that within that decade we would see 38 states legalize cannabis programs and more than 300 bipartisan members of Congress vote for SAFE Banking — I also never could have imagined that that would not be enough to get it done,” Perlmutter said.
National Cannabis Roundtable Executive Director Saphira Galoob praised Perlmutter’s appointment.
“It is truly an honor and a privilege to have the architect of SAFE Banking join our team at a time when we have seen historic progress on this bipartisan bill, which we know is thanks in no small part to the years of dedication by Congressman Perlmutter to move this critical, bipartisan measure forward,” Galoob said.
During Beniznga’s Cannabis Conference in Chicago, Perlmutter touched on the issue of cannabis rescheduling.
The former U.S. representative said that while the Health and Human Services Department recommended the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reschedule cannabis, the responsibility now lies with that agency.
He added rescheduling can come as soon as “six to nine months, [or] by the summer of next year.”
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