Congressional Committee Approves Bill to End Cannabis Prohibition for the First Time in History

his week the House Judiciary Committee approved the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expngement (MORE) Act, making this the first time ever that this type of legislation has been approved by a Congressional committee.

According to an article by Rob Meagher at Cannabis Business Executive, the MORE Act “…passed out of committee by a vote of 24 to 10”. They summarize the MORE Act, saying it would “…decriminalize marijuana at the federal level by removing it from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. It also includes a focus on restorative justice, giving states incentives to expunge the criminal records of people with low-level marijuana offenses and instating a five percent tax on cannabis products that would go towards programs benefiting communities hit hardest by the War on Drugs.”

“These steps are long overdue,” Nadler said in a statement. “For far too long, we have treated marijuana as a criminal justice problem instead of a matter of personal choice and public health. Whatever one’s views on the use of marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes, arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating users at the federal level is unwise and unjust.”

Although a victory, it is a small one, as the MORE Act will need to get through seven more groups before hitting the house floor.

We highly recommend you start calling your state representatives in support of the MORE Act today!