The MORE Act... More Progress!

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Here's a message that we just received from Steve Fox over at the Cannabis Trade Federation.

"The U.S. House of Representative has just made history by passing H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act)! One of the two chambers of Congress is now on record in support of removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act entirely! This vote represents the first major step toward finally dismantling cannabis prohibition at the federal level. 

We want to extend our hearty and sincere congratulations to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), congressional cannabis champion Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), members of the Marijuana Justice Coalition, and all of the other individuals and groups who have fought for passage of this bill during the current session of Congress. 

In addition to ending cannabis prohibition at the federal level, the MORE Act would establish a federal excise tax to support a broad range of programs and services, from job training and reentry services to literacy programs and substance abuse treatment services. It provides for expungements and sentence reviews for past cannabis convictions and prohibits the federal government from denying certain benefits or protections based on cannabis use. It would also ensure that cannabis companies, which have been denied Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) assistance during the pandemic, are eligible for Small Business Administration loans in the future. 

Unfortunately, the MORE Act will not be taken up by the Senate during the remainder of this session of Congress. But work will begin anew in January when the new session begins. CTF will be working with its allies next year to ensure that the MORE Act – or whatever piece of legislation is the primary vehicle to end the state-federal cannabis conflict – establishes a thoughtful foundation for a federal regulatory framework for cannabis.

Sometimes in life we get caught up in the day to day battles and the ups and downs of reforming this nation’s unjust cannabis laws. Today, however, is a day to step back and appreciate how far we have come. The fight is far from over, but the progress we have made since a small group of passionate advocates in California launched Californians for Compassionate Use twenty-five years ago in order to begin the process of tearing down cannabis prohibition is incredible."