WASHINGTON — For the first time ever - members of congress voted in favor of decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level.
The house passed the measure in an historic vote Friday.
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While it’s not expected to pass in the Republican-controlled Senate, it’s considered a major step forward for advocates of decriminalizing marijuana who hope it will come before congress again, when the balance of power may be shifted.
In a near-party line vote, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act- known as the MORE Act- also reassesses marijuana convictions.
On the House floor, Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas described the bill as, “A much needed measure that would try to undo the damage that has been done to our community.”
Rep. Hank Johnson- a Democrat from Georgia- continued, “The criminalization of marijuana was used to disenfranchise an entire generation of black men and women.”
Republicans, on the other hand, criticized the Democrats for pushing a marijuana bill while negotiations for a second round of coronavirus relief remain at a standstill.
Others raised concerns about the lasting impact.
“Yes, legalizing weed would create revenue from taxes, but at what cost? Do we then start legalizing cocaine? Marijuana is a gateway drug,” argued Republican Rep. Greg Murphy from North Carolina.
Florida Representative Matt Gaetz- the bill’s lone Republican co-sponsor- urged caution from his fellow GOP colleagues.
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“Those arguments are overwhelmingly losing with the American people. In every state where cannabis reform was on the ballot, it passed.”
The bill’s potential for the next session of Congress is still in the air, largely due to the upcoming Georgia Senate Runoff races, which will determine whether Republicans retain control over the Senate.