SPRINGFIELD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Insa, a leading Massachusetts-based cannabis provider, today expressed support for the draft of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act unveiled this week by leading Senate Democrats, pointing to the potential job creation and economic opportunities in the Commonwealth’s state-regulated cannabis industry.
The proposed legislation, which would remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances and help end the long practice of targeting communities of color, would remove legal confusion and allow states to craft and enforce their own cannabis laws. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, and Senator Cory Booker unveiled the draft in Washington D.C.
“We’re encouraged by what we think is an important step forward in modernizing our nation’s cannabis laws and finally bringing legal treatment of this growing industry into the 21st century,” said Insa co-founder and CEO Peter Gallagher. “For far too long, cannabis has been illegal under federal law, leading to the unjust treatment of communities of color and other underrepresented groups and individuals. The current system creates a hodgepodge of laws, despite the majority of Americans supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana use and living in states where cannabis has been legalized by state governments.”
Insa agrees with the senators that other lawmakers in Washington should respect the rights of states that have chosen to legalize cannabis. More than 40 percent of Americans live in the 18 states that have legalized adult-use cannabis, and 91 percent of Americans believe cannabis should be legal for either adult or medical use.
“From our own experience across Massachusetts, most recently in our new facility in Springfield, we’ve seen the tremendous economic benefits that cannabis can provide,” said co-founder and COO Patrick Gottschlicht. “Pete and I grew up in this city, and we are able to sell products to consumers we know, provide jobs for people we know, and take part in Springfield’s renaissance. The same opportunity should be available to people across the country. We applaud Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Wyden, and Senator Booker for backing legislation that will achieve that and help end inequality.”
The draft bill addresses major inequities by guaranteeing that all Americans would be free from cannabis-related arrests or receiving essential services where cannabis is legal. It would also affirm that cannabis business owners who comply with state law would be eligible for essential financial services, vital to the industry’s job-creation potential.
The cannabis industry employs more than 320,000 workers, fueled in part by its 32 percent growth last year. Within four years, it is estimated that cannabis could account for almost $45.9 billion in sales. Rooted in Massachusetts, Insa also has a presence in Pennsylvania and Florida, and is rapidly expanding to states that have already welcomed the cannabis industry as a means of economic growth.
Removing hurdles to business ownership and employment in other rebounding, historically underserved communities like Springfield and unleashing their economic potential, Gallagher and Gottschlicht said, would be a major milestone and a legacy centerpiece for supporters of the legislation.
“In Massachusetts and at Insa, we’ve seen that a regulated cannabis industry that provides high-quality products and generates good-paying jobs can be a tremendous asset to a community,” Gallagher said. “Small businesses and workers, as well as consumers, in every state would benefit from doing away with outdated statutes based on legal and economic reasoning long proven to be flawed.”
About Insa
Insa is a vertically integrated state-of-the-art cannabis organization. Founded in 2013, Insa is headquartered in Easthampton, with operations located in Easthampton, Springfield, and Salem, Massachusetts, as well as a presence in Pennsylvania and Florida. The company specializes in every step of the medical & adult-use cannabis process, from sourcing to growing to creating and dispensing meticulously crafted products that suit everyone’s unique needs. Insa offers a cannabis experience that is trustworthy and effective, personal, and handcrafted. Further information about Insa and its products can be found at insa.com. Follow on Instagram and Facebook.
