The US House of Representatives passed a landmark bill on Friday that decriminalizes marijuana at the federal level.
The bill, called Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 or the MORE Act of 2019, was passed by a vote of 228 to 164 in the Democrat-controlled Congress. There were six Democrats who voted against it and five Republicans who voted in favor of it, according to CBS News.
The bill would remove marijuana from the US Drug Enforcement Administration's drug scheduling system, which classifies drugs and other substances into five categories.
Marijuana is presently classified in Schedule I along with heroin. Schedule I substances "have a high potential for abuse and the potential to create severe psychological and/or physical dependence."
In addition, the MORE Act of 2019 would cancel convictions for non-violent offenses involving cannabis. It would also make federal loans available to cannabis businesses and give incentives to such businesses owned by minorities.
Under the bill, persons cannot be denied US citizenship on the basis of marijuana-related circumstances. The bill likewise prevents officials from withholding public benefits to those who have a record of convictions involving marijuana, according to Vox.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, who introduced the bill, said it would undo the "unjust" policy that criminalized weed and brought about a "heavy toll" especially on "communities of color."
"This long overdue legislation would reverse the failed policy of criminalizing marijuana on the federal level and would take steps to address the heavy toll this policy has taken across the country, particularly on communities of color," Nadler said in a statement.
"Whatever one's views are on the use of marijuana for recreational or medicinal use, the policy of arrests, prosecution, and incarceration at the Federal level has proven unwise and unjust," he added.
Republican lawmaker and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticized the timing of passing the bill in the midst of a pandemic.
"With all the challenges America has right now, (Republicans) think COVID relief should be on the floor, but instead, the Democrats put cats and cannabis" he said, according to Associated Press. The "cats" he mentioned referred to a recently approved House bill banning the ownership of big cats.
Rep. McCarthy added that marijuana is being prioritized over the American workers who have been affected by the pandemic.
"They're picking weed over the workers. They're picking marijuana over (providing) the much-needed money we need to go forward,"³ he said.
In a similar tone, Rep. Pete Stauber emphasized that many families have lost their livelihoods and that people are hurting from the negative impact of the lockdowns on the economy. Rep. Stauber said the government's "priorities should not be legalizing drugs or banning tigers," NPR reported.
Rep. Andy Biggs pointed out that there is a need to have "a serious discussion" on the issue and not just present a "mishmash of ideas and hopes instead of data-driven science."
The bill now advances to the Republican-controlled Senate, where it will most likely not be passed.
