By Howard Koplowitz | hkoplowitz@al.com
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is set to testify Tuesday at a congressional hearing exploring the decriminalization of marijuana.
Woodfin, who pardoned people with municipal misdemeanor marijuana convictions in the city and those with prior simple marijuana possession convictions in Birmingham, will be among seven witnesses at Tuesday’s hearing by the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
“I look forward to a frank discussion about how we can work across the aisle to fix this broken system,” Woodfin said in a tweet Thursday. “Birmingham is a leader in this fight to end the injustices that cannabis prohibition has created in our communities. Thank you to the Subcommittee for the opportunity to be a part of this critical discussion.
The hearing, titled “Developments in State Cannabis Laws and Bipartisan Cannabis Reforms at the Federal Level,” will “examine the many benefits of cannabis decriminalization at the federal level, including addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system, improving treatment options for veterans, and allowing marijuana companies to access traditional banking services,” according to the committee.
Alabama legalized medical marijuana in 2021, and is in the process of evaluating applications to open marijuana dispensaries and other related infrastructure.
Last month, the Birmingham City Council initiated legislation to allow dispensaries in the city.
