Cannabis legalization continues to spread across the country. Once a state enacts reform, it can typically take anywhere from a few months to a couple of years before regulated dispensaries open. But in one major U.S. city, pot has been legal for over a decade—yet retail is still effectively outlawed.
The city of Washington, D.C., decriminalized cannabis in 2014. Under the voter-approved Initiative 71, adults 21 and over can possess up to two ounces of flower, five grams of concentrates, or 16 ounces of edibles. Growing six plants at home is also permitted. According to the measure, legal sales would be permitted once a regulatory system was in place.
But that has yet to happen.
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Instead, an unofficial “gifting economy” has taken shape. D.C.’s pot law allows adults to give each other up to one ounce of cannabis. While no money or goods are supposed to exchange hands, shops popped up selling t-shirts and other goods that come with a free gift of weed.
The city started cracking down on this practice in recent months, encouraging retailers to instead apply for a license to sell medical marijuana. Dozens of illicit shops have been shuttered, but it’s likely just the tip of the iceberg. And while there are a number of legit dispensaries in Washington, D.C., the unregulated market is holding steady.
Who is blocking legal cannabis in Washington, D.C.?
The roadblock to regulated weed sales in Washington, D.C. comes from Congress. Federal lawmakers have continued to block the city from using taxpayer funds to create and implement the regulations necessary to form a functioning cannabis market.
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A House subcommittee recently approved an appropriations bill that retained this long-standing ban, dubbed the Harris Rider after its author, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD). The measure was something President Trump pushed for in recent months, and it seems his Republican majority has agreed.
Despite the nation’s capital enjoying the freedom of legal cannabis for over ten years, it appears the future of adult-use sales remains hazy. While the expansion of medical marijuana in D.C. makes it easier than ever for people to obtain legal weed, red tape still exists. For advocates of cannabis, the city remains a frontline battleground in the fight for reform.
