Whereas the communities that have been most harmed by cannabis prohibition are benefiting the least from the legal marijuana marketplace; Whereas a legacy of racial and ethnic injustices, compounded by the disproportionate collateral consequences of 80 years of cannabis prohibition enforcement, now limits participation in the industry; Whereas 30 States and the District of Columbia have adopted laws allowing legal access to cannabis, and 9 States and the District of Columbia have adopted laws legalizing cannabis for adult recreational use; Whereas legal cannabis sales totaled $6.7 billion in 2016 and are projected to reach $50 billion by 2026; Whereas according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), enforcing cannabis prohibition laws costs taxpayers about $3.6 billion a year; Whereas the continued enforcement of cannabis prohibition laws results in over 600,000 arrests annually, disproportionately impacting people of color who are almost 4 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than their White counterparts, despite equal rates of use across populations; Whereas people of color have been historically targeted by discriminatory sentencing practices resulting in Black men receiving drug sentences that are 13.1 percent longer than sentences imposed for White men and Latinos being nearly 6.5 times more likely to receive a Federal sentence for cannabis possession than non-Hispanic Whites; Whereas, in 2013, simple cannabis possession was the fourth most common cause of deportation for any offense and the most common cause of deportation for drug law violations; Whereas it is estimated that less than 1 percent of the cannabis industry is owned or operated by people of color; Whereas applicants for cannabis licenses are limited by numerous laws, regulations, and exorbitant permit applications and licensing fees in these States, which can total more than $700,000