US to Vote on Cannabis Decriminalization
Most Expect the MORE Act to Fail in Republican-Led House – LPC
The United States Senate will vote in September on cannabis decriminalization for personal use. If passed, the “Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019” (the MORE Act) would remove cannabis from the federal list of Schedule 1 drugs. This list includes hard drugs such as heroin. Further, the act would expunge federal cannabis convictions.
According to the US-based Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce, “A floor vote on the bill would be the greatest federal cannabis reform accomplishment (in the United States) in over 80 years.”
Representative Jerrold Nadler said these steps were long overdue. “For far too long, we have treated marijuana as a criminal justice problem instead of a matter of personal choice and public health,” Nadler said previously. “Arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating users at the federal level is unwise and unjust.”
The social justice aspect of cannabis decriminalization is an important part. Studies have shown that cannabis and racism have long been linked, both in the US and Canada.
However, most do not expect the bill to pass during an election year. President Donald Trump has publicly spoken out against cannabis decriminalization or legalization. He’s also gone as far as asked Republican candidates to not talk about it.
“The next time you run please don’t put marijuana on the ballot at the same time you’re running,” Trump said. “You brought out like a million people that nobody ever knew were coming out.”
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