House panel approves marijuana decriminalization, but it faces a long, hard road

 

House panel approves marijuana decriminalization, but it faces a long, hard roadHouse panel approves marijuana decriminalization, but it faces a long, hard road

A Republican on the House Judiciary Committee said Republicans would oppose the bill and that "it is even less likely that the Senate would take it up."

Could marijuana soon be legal across the US?

NOV. 21, 201902:13

Nov. 21, 2019, 2:45 PM PKT / Updated Nov. 21, 2019, 6:48 PM PKT

By Alex Johnson

The campaign to decriminalize marijuana overcame a historic congressional hurdle this week, but opponents and some supporters acknowledge the legislation faces serious obstacles.

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted 24-10 to approve the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE, which would remove marijuana from the federal list of controlled substances, where it's now banned alongside powerful drugs like heroin and LSD.

The bill would require federal courts to expunge convictions for marijuana offenses and authorize a 5 percent tax on marijuana sales to encourage minority communities to enter the cannabis business.

It's believed to be the first time a congressional committee has backed legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. Eleven states and Washington, D.C., have already done so.

But major roadblocks must be cleared before the measure can ever become law.