US House Set To Pass Marijuana Legislation Today

The US House of Representatives is set to pass legislation on Friday to legalize marijuana nationwide, an effort that has unprecedented levels of support in both chambers of Congress.

The bill HR-365, titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act would eliminate criminal penalties associated with the drug and establish a process to expunge previous convictions from people’s criminal records. It would further impose a federal tax on marijuana sales to fund programs meant to help communities negatively impacted by so-called “war on drugs” policies beginning in the 1970s.

The bill moves marijuana to a lower schedule of the Controlled Substances Act. Specifically, it directs the Drug Enforcement Administration to transfer marijuana from schedule I to schedule III. the MORE Act is likely to pass the lower chamber largely along party lines, with most Republicans expected to oppose it. Proponents argue that legalizing marijuana at the federal level will simply reflect most states’ existing policies that allow it in some form. It’s not yet clear, however, if enough Senate Republicans, or even all Democrats, would get on board for the bill to clear a filibuster.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has introduced her own bill to legalize cannabis products. But it currently only has three GOP cosponsors: Reps. Brian Mast (Fla.), Tom McClintock (Calif.) and Peter Meijer (Mich.). Mace’s proposal would set an age limit of 21 for cannabis use. It would also impose a smaller tax on marijuana sales — 3 percent — than the bill Democrats are bringing to the House floor and establish a 10-year moratorium on any tax increases.

At least 18 states, two territories and the District of Columbia allow cannabis for adult, nonmedical use, while 37 states allow pot for medical use.