The president also called on governors to take similar action for state crimes of marijuana possession by civilians. In addition, he urged the health secretary and attorney general to “promptly” review how marijuana is provided for in federal law. Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I narcotic, meaning it has no medical benefit and a high potential for abuse. Heroin and LSD are other Schedule I drugs. Besides decriminalization, other key provisions of the bill include: Congress still has a lot of work to do this year, but Democrats stand to lose the House in this year`s midterm elections. This has lit a fire among some lawmakers and cannabis advocates to find a cannabis bill that can be passed this year, and it is expected that after this bill receives its fanfare, the cannabis discussion will shift to what is possible in this Congress – contrary to what Democrats dream of achieving. The calculation is far from perfect. It would impose a 25% tax on marijuana sales — a price so high it has the potential to boost the illicit market. But, as is the case with issues such as interracial marriage protection or access to birth control, bipartisan popular support doesn`t always lead to legislative progress, even though several states will consider their own changes to marijuana laws this fall. During the campaign, some Democratic candidates, such as Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman, addressed the issue of legalization and may have motivated voters on the fringes in his swing state, but many others downplayed it to focus on high-profile issues such as the economy, public safety, and abortion rights. Schumer has been the top advocate for marijuana legalization in Washington and has called it a top priority for the past two years. That`s one of the issues he said the Democrats would address if they won back the Senate in 2020.
That`s partly because many state lawmakers with legal markets don`t yet support meaningful changes to federal law. Democratic Senator Jon Tester, for example, represents a state where weed is legal — Montana — and says he doesn`t support federalization. Most people incarcerated in federal prison for cannabis-related offenses are not in jail for small, nonviolent offenses — so the number of people affected by this order will be in the thousands, according to the White House. It`s time to end the patchwork legal system and reform federal marijuana law. ►Approval of federal restrictions on the marketing of marijuana products. Fundamentally, the bill`s restorative justice programs, designed to help communities most affected by marijuana criminalization (and often excluded from legal gains), aim to ameliorate these historical injustices. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer`s Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would decriminalize weed at the federal level and allow states to set their own marijuana laws without fear of sanctions from Washington. The Democratic-led House of Representatives passed a bill called the landmark marijuana legalization bill in April in a largely partisan vote. About two-thirds of voters support the decision, including the lion`s share of Republican voters — a sentiment largely maintained since another House vote in 2020. It`s time to stop pretending that the war on drugs never worked.
And a bill by a few Democratic members in the Senate is a step in that direction. CORRECTION: In an earlier subtitle of this report, the date of introduction of the bill was incorrect. It was presented on Thursday. President Joe Biden on Thursday granted a pardon to anyone convicted of simple possession of marijuana under federal law, the biggest step ever taken by the White House on U.S. drug policy. However, the move is notable for Biden, a 79-year-old president who had drafted some of the tough drug laws that his supporters say have led to current incarceration rates. Biden was the only Democratic presidential candidate in 2020 who did not support the federal determination, which would essentially make marijuana legal at the federal level. The administration also said Biden wanted to turn cannabis into a Schedule II drug — which would make it easier to study, legalize medical marijuana and decriminalize minor possessions. All these positions were in legal contradiction with each other. The Senate left Washington for the campaign season without responding to legislation that would end federal marijuana prohibition, leaving behind what a new Morning Consult/Politico poll leaves on the table as a popular policy proposal ahead of the midterm elections. While attitudes toward marijuana use were once difficult, this is no longer the case.
Most Americans support the legalization of recreational and medical marijuana. Recreational marijuana is now legal in 19 states as well as Washington, DC, and medical cannabis is legal in 37 states. But the votes are not yet there to pass Schumer`s bill on Capitol Hill. The bill also includes other changes, including the following: The bill has been a long time coming – Schumer, with Sens.