Latest News on the MORE Act, Bill to Decriminalize Weed

In a historic vote, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to deschedule cannabis as a banned Schedule 1 substance. Further to this, the bill would fund programs to begin repairing the damage done by the ‘war on drugs.’

This is a first in American political history, being that a congressional committee has approved a bill to end federal marijuana prohibition.

Last November 20th, The House Judiciary Committee approved the MORE Act in a bipartisan vote. The House Judiciary Committee passed the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act in a 24-10 vote, setting the stage for a full floor vote in the house.

This historic vote smooths the way and sets the stage in preparation for a full house vote in Congress for the legalization of marijuana.

This marks the first time that a congressional committee has ever passed a bill to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.

NORML has advised its members what the next steps for active lobbying should be:

• “We need to ensure that other committees do not attempt to slow the momentum.”
• “Gain additional support to ensure passage in a full House vote.”
• “Build support in the Senate and convince leadership to schedule a vote.”

NORML is advising members and the public to contact their House members to support voting in favor of passing the legislation when it makes it to a house vote.

NORML went on to say:

“Many naysayers will tell us it is impossible, but that doesn’t mean we give up the fight because our power has been forged over decades.”

“When NORML was founded in 1970, only 12% of the public supported legalization. Now, we have a public mandate with majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and independent voters all supporting the outright legalization of marijuana.”

Apart from the FDA’s extremely conservative and cautious approach to the legalization of cannabis products in various forms and uses (particularly CBD) this is not slowing down the move by house members, senators and Presidential candidates in back peddling previous conservative political positions—with notables such as Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Tulsi Gabbard, Elizabeth Warren pledging to “end the war on drugs” and Joe Biden backing away from his previous position that marijuana is a “gateway drug” to hard drug use stating: “I don’t think it is a gateway drug. There’s no evidence I’ve seen that suggests that.”

It now remains to be seen if the House and Senate will carry the will of the American people and federally decriminalize marijuana and cannabis products generally.

Too many people have had their lives ruined over past decades and been made to suffer over the use of a natural plant that should be recognized for its powerful healing potential, with wise and educated use, rather than as a part of the natural world to be demonized by political decree.

Special thanks for the source material used in this article, which came from the following major advocates for marijuana legalization in Washington DC.

Please show them your support and visit:

NORML: https://norml.org

Marijuana Moment: https://www.marijuanamoment.net