Medical Cannabis Businesswomen to Call on President Obama to Freeze Enforcement Actions While Reviewing Administration's Medical Marijuana Policy

National Cannabis Industry Association's Women's CannaBusiness Network to host event; Group will release report detailing economic benefits of industry in Colorado; Employers and employees to speak

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Thursday, September 13, the National Cannabis Industry Association, in conjunction with the Women's CannaBusiness Network, a project it launched earlier this year, will hold a press conference at the National Press Club. At the event, female business leaders from the medical cannabis industry will call on President Obama to cease enforcement actions against medical cannabis providers while the administration reviews its policies to determine whether they are in the public interest. The women will explain the hardships caused by the federal government's ongoing crackdown on legitimate medical cannabis businesses.

"In the last year alone, the Department of Justice has taken action against hundreds of medical cannabis providers, including a large percentage who were acting in full compliance with state and local laws," said NCIA executive director, Aaron Smith.  "It is painfully obvious that the Department of Justice is not following the administration's stated policy of respecting state medical marijuana laws."

The group will also release a report entitled, "The Colorado Cannabis Industry: A Tale of Ten Cities," which details the sales and tax revenues generated by medical marijuana centers in ten Colorado cities. These ten cities alone, generated close to $10 million in state and local sales taxes in 2011. Representatives from businesses that produced this revenue, but are now suffering due to the Obama administration actions, will speak.

Who:    Female business owners and medical cannabis industry employees

Where: National Press Club (in the Fourth Estate Room), 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC

When:  Thursday, September 13 at 9:30 a.m.

The mission of the National Cannabis Industry Association is to defend, promote and advance the interests of the cannabis industry and its members. NCIA publicly advocates for the unique needs of the emerging cannabis industry and defends against those aiming to eliminate the legal market for cannabis and cannabis-related products. For more information, please visit www.TheCannabisIndustry.org.

CONTACT: Steve Fox, NCIA dir. of public affairs at 202-379-4861 ext. 2 or [email protected]

SOURCE National Cannabis Industry Association