Is A Federal Marijuana Bill Heading Over For A Vote?

Initiatives to legalize marijuana at a federal level never quit. The most recent comes from a new bill that could see its way to another House floor vote, reports Marijuana Moment, who spoke with an anonymous congressional staffer and cannabis advocate. 

Reports note that the discussion went down on Wednesday. Although it was promising, the source made clear that everything is still in the air and not to get too excited considering the past of federal marijuana bills. 

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler spearheaded the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act (MORE). Advocates have been trying to bring the Act back to the floor this month for further discussion. 

If it reaches the floor, Marijuana Moment reports it would be the second time the MORE Act has reached full chamber since being approved in 2020. Nonetheless, rumors and talks of the floor vote are spiraling after congressional Democrats invited the press to a party retreat for a panel that talked about marijuana reform on a federal level. 

If passed, the bill would remove cannabis from its status as a controlled substance and focus on social equity within the federal marijuana industry. The bill also passed the Judiciary Committee this past session in September. 

Not only would the bill make adult-use cannabis federally legal, but it would create a federal tax on cannabis, and revenue would go towards investing in underserved communities and similar programs. Finally, it would allow those with marijuana convictions to expunge their records for a clean slate. 

According to Marijuana Moment, the bill was designed to make it easier to resentence those who’ve been convicted for cannabis crimes, ensure immigrants aren’t being denied citizenship because of marijuana, and prevent federal agencies from withholding benefits and security clearance over marijuana use. 

The report also notes that two separate sources have heard talks of the MORE Act heading to the floor once again but emphasize that nothing has been announced or set in stone.