Introduction
The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act) was introduced in the House by Democratic Representative of California, Jerrold Nadler. The MORE Act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and allow previously convicted criminals to have their convictions expunged. It would also allow those currently serving prison time to appeal their sentences and impose a 5% tax on marijuana products which would go towards community reinvestment funds. This bill has a good chance of passing in the Democrat-controlled House but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed not to pass any cannabis reform bills which means it will likely stall in Congress as they await further action from President Trump or Attorney General Bill Barr who has come out against legalization despite his past support for medical use only legislation.
The MORE Act was introduced in the House by Democratic Representative of California, Jerrold Nadler.
The MORE Act was introduced in the House by Democratic Representative of California, Jerrold Nadler. It’s backed by a bipartisan group of 43 co-sponsors and has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Republicans control the Senate, so if it were passed there, it would face an uphill battle getting past Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who has vowed not to pass any cannabis reform bills.
The MORE Act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.
The MORE Act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act. The Controlled Substances Act is a federal law that classifies drugs according to their potential for abuse, their accepted medical use, and other factors. The CSA bans the cultivation, processing, and sale of all marijuana products—including hemp—and prohibits anyone from using or possessing them.
The MORE Act would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug under state law but not federal law (so it would still be illegal on a federal level).
The MORE Act would allow previously convicted criminals to have their convictions expunged.
The MORE Act would allow previously convicted criminals to have their convictions expunged. This would include those previously convicted of low-level cannabis offenses, who are disproportionately people of color, and who now suffer from a disproportionate amount of difficulty finding employment or housing due to their criminal record. The MORE Act allows for the expungement of criminal records for those previously convicted of low-level cannabis offenses.
The MORE Act would allow those currently serving prison time to appeal their sentences.
The MORE Act would allow those currently serving prison time to appeal their sentences and apply for expungement.
The bill also allows those who have already served their time to apply for expungement, which means that they can get back on their feet by getting a driver’s license and finding employment.
Finally, the bill also allows those who have been convicted of a crime—regardless of whether or not they’ve served any actual prison time—to be pardoned by the president.
The MORE Act would impose a 5% tax on marijuana products.
The MORE Act would impose a 5% tax on marijuana products. This tax is in addition to any state or local taxes that are already imposed on those products. The revenue generated by this tax would be used to fund community reinvestment funds, which would be designated for drug treatment, education and prevention programs; research into the effects of cannabis; and other scientific research relating to substance abuse prevention and treatment.
The tax money would go towards community reinvestment funds.
The MORE Act would earmark money from the sale of drugs to go towards programs that help people with drug addiction, mental health issues, and finding jobs. These programs would be run by local community organizations and nonprofits.
The MORE Act was introduced by Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13) in March 2019 and has been referred to the House Committees on Ways & Means; Energy & Commerce; Judiciary; Oversight & Reform; Financial Services & General Government for consideration.
This bill has a good chance of passing in the Democrat-controlled House, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed not to pass any cannabis reform bills.
While this bill has a good chance of passing in the Democrat-controlled House, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed not to pass any cannabis reform bills, including this one. McConnell is from Kentucky and has a long history of opposing cannabis reform. He is a conservative Republican with deep ties to the pharmaceutical industry that stands to lose if federal prohibition ends.
Conclusion
This bill has a good chance of passing in the Democrat-controlled House, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed not to pass any cannabis reform bills.
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