Mr. Kyle Kazan reports

GLASS HOUSE BRANDS ISSUES AN OPEN LETTER URGING PRESIDENT BIDEN, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS TO DE-SCHEDULE CANNABIS

Glass House Brands Inc. has issued an open letter to United States President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris urging them to completely deschedule cannabis and to grant clemency to those incarcerated in federal prison for non-violent marijuana offences.

Dear President Biden, Mr. Trump and Vice President Harris,

Our nation has spoken, and it wants federal cannabis laws to change. But the people do not just want cannabis rescheduling; they want complete descheduling.

On July 22, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) comment period on the Health and Human Services (HHS) current science-backed recommendation to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 drug ended. Over 42,000 public comments were received by the DEA, more than for any other DEA proposal in history. The level of public engagement was unprecedented.

While the public comments are overwhelmingly in favour of the DEA proposal to remove cannabis from Schedule 1, it is also clear Americans view rescheduling alone as insufficient. Almost 70 per cent of the public comments supported removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act completely.

This makes sense. As over 74 per cent of Americans live in a state where marijuana is legal for either recreational or medical use, the American public now sees cannabis as another product like tobacco and alcohol, and not like an illicit or even pharmaceutical drug.

The rescheduling of cannabis to Schedule 3, instead of outright descheduling, will not solve the problems that have been created by the Schedule 1 classification, such as unnecessary incarcerations and the loss of qualified applicants in the work force, nor will it provide relief for the millions of Americans whose right to use it is being curtailed by federal prohibition.

To date, progress in legalizing and regulating cannabis has been driven by the states and American citizens at the grassroots level. It is time for the federal government to follow the people's lead and stop villainizing a plant that people have been safely consuming for over 6,000 years. By descheduling instead of rescheduling, individual states will be in a better position to be able to decide what makes sense for their communities.

Moreover, President Biden, we ask that you honour your campaign promises to decriminalize marijuana, release cannabis prisoners from jail and expunge cannabis convictions from their records. We urge you to grant clemency to the approximately 3,000 individuals currently incarcerated in federal prison for non-violent marijuana offences, many of whom are serving life sentences. The continued incarceration of these individuals prolongs the legacy of the War on Drugs and imbrues our justice system. No one should be in prison for a plant. We have been a consistent advocate on this issue, including in early 2021 when we urged then-President Trump to pardon Parker Coleman.

Americans are divided on so many issues. But one thing that the vast majority of both Democrats and Republicans agree on is that it is time to reform federal cannabis laws.

We believe that whichever presidential candidate takes on the mission of descheduling cannabis will be rewarded at the ballot box. As such, it is critical that the American public know where each of you stands on the federal legalization of cannabis.

Leadership is desperately needed on this issue. On behalf of Glass House Brands, we strongly urge all three of you to embrace descheduling cannabis. In this case, the bold choice is the right choice.

Sincerely,

Kyle Kazan, chairman and chief executive officer of Glass House Brands

About Glass House Brands Inc.

Glass House is one of the fastest-growing, vertically integrated cannabis companies in the United States, with a dedicated focus on the California market and building leading, lasting brands to serve consumers across all segments. From its greenhouse cultivation operations to its manufacturing practices, from brand building to retailing, the company's efforts are rooted in the respect for people, the environment, and the community that co-founders Kyle Kazan, chairman and chief executive officer, and Graham Farrar, board member and president, instilled at the outset. Through its portfolio of brands, which includes Glass House Farms, Plus Products, Allswell and Mama Sue Wellness, Glass House is committed to realizing its vision of excellence: outstanding cannabis products produced sustainably for the benefit of all.

We seek Safe Harbor.