Senate Democrats introduce bill to decriminalize marijuana

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Yahoo News

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced a bill to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level on Thursday, a position that is popular with a majority of Americans but is likely to face an uphill climb to passage.

The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and allow states to set their own policies. It would include criminal justice reform measures such as expunging federal marijuana charges while establishing grant programs for small business owners from communities disproportionately targeted by previous drug laws. It would also set up regulation by the Food and Drug Administration as well as a federal taxation plan.

Schumer has been working with Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on this issue, including holding a meeting with a number of marijuana legalization advocacy groups in February 2021 and introducing draft legislation last July. The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing titled “Decriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms” for next week in the subcommittee chaired by Booker.

“The official introduction of this bill to finally end the policy nightmare of federal marijuana prohibition is the culmination of unprecedented leadership in the Senate and engagement with stakeholders across the political spectrum,” said Morgan Fox, the political director of NORML, a leading marijuana reform group. “We look forward to working with lawmakers to move this legislation toward passage and eagerly anticipate engaging in substantive conversations on all aspects of federal marijuana law with Senate members.”

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/senate-democrats-introduce-bill-to-decriminalize-marijuana-142045976.html

[peppertree]

1. But Manchini and Sinema will get in the way

After blazing a big, fat bull themselves - no doubt.

[IronLionZion]

3. Depends on how much Big Pharma donates to them to block it

[jmowreader]

5. Big Pharma would LOVE to grow cannabis. Think nothing different.

There are about 150 known cannabinoids and they all do different things. If they could prove a strain of cannabis with cannabinoids 25, 45 and 63 were effective against leukemia but Cannabinoid 96 had to be suppressed to make it work, and they were able to breed such a strain, they could patent it and make a ton of money.

[IronLionZion]

6. They want it restricted from normal people growing it

so a few companies can control the market.

[jmowreader]

10. I don't think they would care

Let’s pick a Big Pharma company…how about GSK? If you were the person running GSK you wouldn’t want people out there rolling blunts with the same cannabis you sell to cure disease; you would want your Pharma sales crew selling your gentle, effective, life improving medicine while all those filthy hippies over there are selling the demon weed to get high on.

[Aristus]

4. I think the goal is to get Republican opposition to it on record.

That may help in the Mid-Terms. But if Manchin and Sinema want to cut their own throats with their constituents, I'm afraid we can't stop them.

[Mysterian]

7. The goal should be to achieve justice for the American people

I've been disappointed by Democratic lack of urgency on this issue.

[kysrsoze]

2. About damned time. Let's see how many senators care about this kind of freedom

Too many obviously don’t care about women’s’ healthcare freedoms or voting rights.

[The Mouth]

8. Even some conservatives realize it's a State's Rights issue

Seriously.

It's important to me, because friends are in the cannabis industry here in norcal, and federal decriminalization will help their business.

[Garion_55]

9. shouldnt all conservatives support this?

freedom. states rights. free market. personal responsibility. no more big government telling people what to do.

this has right wing conservatism written all over it.

[jmowreader]

11. Are you mistaken!J

They want you to have the freedom to live exactly as they want you to.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

12. Thanks for reminding me to eat a few gummy's

Before this hearing starts!

No drinking games here- That ship has sailed

[Cha]

13. Great!

Focus!
Please Fight to Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!

[ripcord]

14. If this doesn't pass the President needs to instruct the DEA to reschedule it

[James48]

15. Immediately reschedule it!

Change it from Schedule 1 to something far more appropriate- like a schedule 4.

You can work out the details of the law later- just get it off Schedule 1 now! Don’t wait for Congress- donor by Executive Order tomorrow. Or just call the FDA and DEA and order it changed.