House Judiciary Committee Approves Bill to End Federal Cannabis Prohibition

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]oday the House Judiciary Committee approved the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, also known as HR 3884, with an affirmative vote 24 to 10. Activists everywhere consider it a historic move for cannabis reform at the federal level—and a rare bipartisan moment in Congress.

The MORE Act would decriminalize cannabis at the federal level by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. NORML reports that it would also retroactively apply to prior and pending convictions, while allowing states to set their own policies. It would require federal courts to expunge prior convictions, allow past offenders to seek expungement and force courts to conduct re-sentencing hearings for current cases. It would authorize the assessment of a 5 percent federal excise tax on cannabis products to create an Opportunity Trust Fund, including three grant programs.

“This is a truly historic moment in our nation’s political history. For the first time, a Congressional committee has approved far-reaching legislation to not just put an end to federal marijuana prohibition, but to address the countless harms our prohibitionist policies have wrought, notable on communities of color and other marginalized groups,” stated NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri. “Opposition to our failed war on marijuana has reached a boiling point with over two-thirds of all Americans, including majorities of all political persuasions, now supporting legalization. Congress should respect the will of the people and promptly approve the MORE Act and close this dark chapter of failed public policy.”

The bill would also include small business incentives and provide non-discrimination protections for cannabis-related charges. It would also force the Bureau of Labor Statistics to collect data on industry demographics to ensure that people of color and economically disadvantaged communities have a chance to participate in the industry.

HISTORY MADE: The MORE Act was approved by the House Judiciary Committee in a 24-10 bipartisan vote. Next stop the House floor! Thanks to all of you who sent nearly 60,000 letters in the last few days. #WeDeserveMORE #MakeHistory #WeDidIt #Onward #EndingProhibition pic.twitter.com/CKCMoRxo8a

— NORML (@NORML) November 20, 2019

“Not only does the bill reverse the failed prohibition of cannabis, but it provides pathways for opportunity and ownership in the emerging industry for those who have suffered most,” said NORML Political Director Justin Strekal. “In 2018 alone, over 663,000 Americans were arrested for marijuana-related crimes, a three-year high. Now that Chairman Nadler has moved the MORE Act through committee, it is time for the full House to vote and have every member of Congress show their constituents which side of history they stand on.”

The MORE Act will now be sent to the full House of Representatives. This is a historic moment in the decades-long campaign to end marijuana prohibition at the federal level.

— Marijuana Policy Project (@MarijuanaPolicy) November 20, 2019

Now the MORE Act heads to the full House of Representatives, then the Senate, where it admittedly has a lower chance of passage. Meanwhile, The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act offers similar protections, although it would not deschedule cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act, leaving it up to states, and it doesn’t include social equity measures.