This week the House is back in session for the legislative session before Christmas recess and the start of the 117th Congress. While we await details on the deal funding the government before the December 11th shutdown, House leadership plans to bring a marijuana decriminalization bill to the Floor for a vote.
H.R. 3884 or the Marijuana Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act is set for final passage on Friday, December 4th. If enacted, the MORE Act would decriminalize marijuana and both legalize and commercialize the drug. More specifically and according to the House Judiciary Committee, the legislation:
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“Decriminalizes marijuana at the federal level by removing the substance from the Controlled Substances Act. This applies retroactively to prior and pending convictions, and enables states to set their own policy.
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Requires federal courts to expunge prior convictions, allows prior offenders to request expungement, and requires courts, on motion, to conduct re-sentencing hearings for those still under supervision.
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Opens up Small Business Administration funding for legitimate cannabis-related businesses and service providers.
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Provides non-discrimination protections for marijuana use or possession, and for prior convictions for a marijuana offense:
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Prohibits the denial of any federal public benefit (including housing) based on the use or possession of marijuana, or prior conviction for a marijuana offense.
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Provides that the use or possession of marijuana, or prior conviction for a marijuana offense, will have no adverse impact under the immigration laws.
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Requires the Bureau of Labor Statistics to collect data on the demographics of the industry to ensure people of color and those who are economically disadvantaged are participating in the industry.”
Many Democrats believe marijuana decriminalization will have more net benefit than consequences. As Senator Kamala Harris said:
"… It is also critical that everyone — especially people of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs — has a real opportunity to participate in this growing industry. This is a matter of racial and economic justice.”
Yet, we know that marijuana use not only leads to physical dependency, addiction, agitation, paranoia, but it also harms developing brains. As we’ve previously stated, today’s marijuana is more potent than it was 20-plus years ago and comes in many forms that all contain differing levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical giving the drug user euphoria and intoxication, and cannabidiol (CBD). Our lawmakers do well to remember this.
To add and as was evidenced with the popularity of flavored nicotine and Juul, the nation’s youth is disproportionally targeted and consequently hurt from these products. Sadly, this legislation has hardly any public health protections preventing its appeal to the nation’s youth.
For these reasons, we ask your help in contacting your Representative and asking them to vote NO on the MORE Act.
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Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 or Email your Representative