Amazon supports legalization of cannabis in the United States

In a blog post published last Tuesday, Amazon's head of consumer affairs, Dave Clark, said the company supports the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, one of the U.S. initiatives to legalize cannabis recently reintroduced in the House of Representatives. The MORE Act aims to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level, expunge criminal records, and invest in the communities most affected by the war on drugs.

«We hope that other employers will join us and that policymakers will act quickly to pass this law,», wrote Mr. Clark.

Amazon also announced that it would be adjusting its drug testing policy for all positions not regulated by the Department of Transportation and treating cannabis the same as alcohol.

«In the past, like many employers, we barred people from working at Amazon if they tested positive for marijuana,» Mr. Clark said. «However, given the changing state laws across the United States, we’ve changed course.»

Amazon has indeed is facing a lot of criticism in the past for its no-cannabis-use policies. In 2020, the company reportedly rescinded the job offer to Michael Thomas, a New York resident who wanted to work as a sorter at a warehouse on Staten Island, because he tested positive for cannabis on a drug test—even though it is illegal to require most prospective employees to undergo drug testing in New York State.

The company has was also continued by workers for allegedly terminating the employment of medical cannabis users.

Could Amazon sell marijuana?

Amazon is currently treading carefully when it comes to substances. The company does not allow the sale of CBD on its platform, but is currently conducting a test in the United Kingdom with a few brands. It does the same with alcohol in the United States, where delivery via Amazon Prime is possible in about a dozen cities.

Could Amazon eventually start delivering marijuana in states where it is legal if decriminalization at the federal level? The MORE Act alone would certainly not allow for that. And that’s probably where things get complicated as per Leafly's analysis. It is much easier to influence the wording of a bill you support than one you oppose.

«Perhaps Amazon has learned from its experience with alcohol. Perhaps its lobbyists are working to shape Schumer’s future bill in a way that would make it easier for the company to enter the cannabis industry,» Leafly speculates.