House passes bill to federally decriminalize marijuana

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: CNN

The House has voted with a slim bipartisan majority to federally decriminalize marijuana.

The vote was 220 to 204. Republicans Tom McClintock of California, Brian Mast and Matt Gaetz, both of Florida, joined the majority of Democrats in supporting the bill, while Democrats Henry Cuellar of Texas and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire voted against.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, will prevent federal agencies from denying federal workers security clearances for cannabis use, and will allow the Veterans' Administration to recommend medical marijuana to veterans living with posttraumatic stress disorder, plus gains revenue by authorizing a sales tax on marijuana sales.

The bill also expunges the record of people convicted of non-violent cannabis offenses, which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said, "can haunt people of color and impact the trajectory of their lives and career indefinitely."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-passes-bill-to-federally-decriminalize-marijuana/ar-AAVLiEV

[IronLionZion]

1. April Fools!

We'll see if the Senate passes it.

[Locrian]

24. yeah, not holding my breath.... well, I mean after I inhale... n/t

[Drum]

2. Hallelujah!

[L. Coyote]

3. In an election year, should be interesting for Republican senators who want to return next year.

I bet they won't allow it to come to a vote.

[Polybius]

7. It's not up to Republicans to not allow it to come to a vote

That decision is Schumer's.

[L. Coyote]

9. Have you heard about the filibuster? Schumer wishes it was his decision.

[Polybius]

13. Of course, but I was talking about talking about the actual vote

Mitch would stop it from even being brought up if he could, but he can't. Republicans can (and likely will) filibuster, that is correct. Sucks.

[papa3times]

4. Manchin and Sinema

Will never stand for this. They have orders to keep the status quo from their prison industrial complex donors to kill this.

[Polybius]

8. But Rand Paul and Mike Lee will

So it may pass anyway.

[SergeStorms]

21. It takes 60 votes to pass.

Even if we get every Democrat to vote yes are we going to find 10 republiCANT's who'll join us?

Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to see it pass, I believe it's DOA.

[Tree Lady]

28. I don't think Joe will ever sign it

So it would have to have enough to override veto.

[nattyice]

31. If Republicans have a chance to make Joe Biden look weak, they'll go for it

[SergeStorms]

34. He stated in his campaign....

that it was time to decriminalize it..
Legalize it?....I think he'd still sign it.

[Farmer-Rick]

37. Well his own state allows the use of cannabis

"Yes! Medical marijuana is legal in West Virginia! West Virginia's medical marijuana law was passed in April of 2017 and went into effect on July 1, 2019. The first medical cannabis dispensary opened in Morgantown in November of 2021, and multiple dispensaries are preparing to open throughout the state in 2022!"

So, if he votes against it he's go against his own state voters. But he seems to do that a lot.

[pecosbob]

5. If you know who torpedoes this bill in the Senate I'll devote my remaining days to unseating him

That's a promise.

[blogslug]

6. I know. There's the Senate hurdle. I get it. But, still...

It's a hell of a thing that I could not have imagined happening even ten years ago, much less the entirety of my adult-ish life. I refuse to feel bummed about it today.

[ashredux]

10. This is Election Year fodder...the same with Insulin costs....it will have a positive effect

[usaf-vet]

20. Remind me, isn't Manchin's DAUGHTER connected to insulin manufacturing?

[ck4829]

26. Epi-pens. Insulin's high price comes from the fact the supply

Is controlled by an oligopoly.

[SergeStorms]

35. She used to be.

Her name is Heather Bresch and she used to be the President and CEO of Mylan, a pharmaceutical company. She cut a deal with Pfizer that they'd stop production of Adrenaclick, an Epipen competitor.

Epipens used to cost around $100 for a pack of two, but after the Pfizer deal they increased the price to over $600.

It was a sordid affair, with Bresch falsifying her resume saying she had a Master's Degree from West Virginia University. She didn't. The University falsified a transcript of her grades for Manchin when he was Governor of West Virginia at the time. Numerous leaders at the University were made to resign....... That's Joe Manchin and family for you. Oh, and he got beaucoup funding for his Senate run from the pharmaceutical industry. Go figure.

Joe sure acts a lot like a republican.

[txwhitedove]

11. Are there specifics on any, how much, growing, etc.? Is this going to be like abortion?

Passed in Washington, but then ripped apart in some states?? Asking for a friend, maybe an ex, who is a master gardener.

[blogslug]

14. Here's the text of the bill

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3617/text

I'll leave it to someone else to read/interpret it.

[txwhitedove]

17. Whew, thanks, tried reading it. Points for now, helps the incarcerated and tax revenue.

[The Mouth]

23. The essence of federal decrimilization is that it will allow

the cannabis industry to legally process credit card transactions and in other ways allow the industry to fully access the financial industry.

But wiping records is really cool, too.

[Totally Tunsie]

12. "...plus gains revenue by authorizing a sales tax on marijuana sales."

Well, of course, the Feds will get their payout. Soon the taxes will equal the cost of the product. What are they now - 20+%?

[Blackjackdavey]

15. In New York

where I live, it's practically free. And sometimes with all the sales, it is! And tax exempt!

However, I think my ability to traipse on over to the marijuana mart is unique here in New York. Hasn't spread statewide yet.

[Totally Tunsie]

18. MA hits the 20% mark:

https://www.google.com/search?q=taxes+on+weed+i+MA&source=hp&ei=Z01HYprQEr-

Massachusetts: State Retail Excise: There is a 10.75% marijuana excise tax imposed retail sales of marijuana. Sales Tax: The state 6.25% sales tax applies to retail purchases of all marijuana and marijuana products. Local Excise: Optional, up to 3% on retail purchases of all marijuana and marijuana products.

[RussBLib]

16. put a federal tax of 1% on all sales

and it will bring in billions.

States like California need to get more realistic and lower the taxes they charge on weed. Too high taxes keeps people going to the black market.

[Akoto]

19. As a pain management patient and advocate for them, I fully support this.

[SergeStorms]

22. I second that.

I'm in the exact same boat.

[ck4829]

27. I smoked it for the first time in my life last October

And it did wonders for the aches and pains I was having that day.

[Earth-shine]

29. I don't know what the tax rate on the MJ flower is here in Florida, but we have several competing

dispensary brands.

Prices keep falling.

What cost $400 an ounce two years ago can now be had in the low $200s, all due to competition.

We have medical MJ, not legal MJ.

[TeamProg]

30. How "concerned" is Susan Collins?

I'm sure she is 'very concerned'.

Worthless P.O.S. !

[mathari]

32. Why can't Biden now de-schedule Weed?

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10655

If the majority of the house says legalize, he could easily take off as a schedule drug with an executive order.

Would massively help democrats in november.

[maxsolomon]

33. I suggest they get Patty Murray to bring it to the floor on a voice vote.

She got Permanent DST through 100-0.

Let's ride that hot streak! It's one thing Progs and Libertarians fools can agree on: Free the Weed.

[Rhiannon12866]

36. About time! President Carter wanted to do this...

[Liberty Belle]

38. The MJ industry has a lot of money to buy Republican votes.

And some lean libertarian so would support anyway.

Interestingly in a small city in our area, it was a formerly conservative Republican who introduced our region's most liberal marijuana legalization law, allowing up to 17 dispensaries in a 9-square-mile town, as well as manufacturing, cultivation and delivery.

I would not write this off passing the Senate just yet.