US House Of Representatives To Vote On Cannabis Legalization Bill This Week

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, a comprehensive federal cannabis legalization bill that contains strong social equity provisions with an emphasis on restorative justice for communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition.

Why It Matters

Toi Hutchinson, president and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project applauded the MORE Act's approach to legalization, as it "promises to address many of the harms caused by prohibition through an equity- and justice-centered framework.

"Americans have made their support for cannabis legalization abundantly clear, and states across the country have taken the lead on cannabis legalization. Now it is time for Congress to take action and finally put an end to the failed policy of prohibition. We urge members of Congress to once again pass this historic piece of legislation," Hutchinson added.

What's The MORE Act

Sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the MORE Act would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act; require federal courts to expunge prior cannabis-related convictions and provide for resentencing; provide grants and funding to communities most harmed by the war on cannabis; lift barriers to licensing and employment in the cannabis industry; protect immigrants from being denied citizenship over cannabis; and allow VA physicians to recommend medical cannabis to veterans. In 2020, the House passed the MORE Act, but it did not advance in the Senate. 

On the Senate side, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a draft version of an alternative cannabis legalization bill, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity (CAO) Act. 

According to the latest Gallup poll, 68% of Americans support cannabis legalization. To date, 18 states have legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over, and 37 states have legalized medical cannabis.