(Washington) Democrats in Congress have once again cleared a significant hurdle in their fight to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level in the United States.
Posted yesterday at 9:18 p.m.
By a margin of 220 to 204, the House of Representatives passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, which would effectively remove cannabis from the US list of controlled substances.
Two Democrats broke ranks by voting against the legislation, while a pair of Republicans challenged their own party line and voted to support it.
It’s the second time the House has passed the bill, known as the MORE Act, which now heads to the Senate, where it faces a decidedly less certain future among equally divided Democrats and Republicans.
He will also face competition: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the most powerful Democrat in the upper house, is expected to introduce a similar bill around April 20, a kind of national holiday. cannabis calendar.
“For too long, we’ve treated marijuana as a criminal justice issue rather than a matter of personal choice and public health,” said Rep. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Justice Committee, which sponsored The law project.
“Regardless of one’s opinion on the recreational or medical use of marijuana, the federal policy of arrest, prosecution and incarceration has proven both reckless and unfair,” he argued.
Republicans in the House criticized the measure as a glaring example of misplaced Democratic priorities, citing gas prices, the war in Ukraine and the “crisis” at the US-Mexico border as examples of bigger problems. important than the legalization of marijuana.
“Do you know why they’re dealing with this today?” Because they can’t deal with the real issues facing the American people, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan railed. It’s wrong and everyone knows it […] Let’s focus on the things that matter. »
But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, whose 40-year career representing Maryland in Washington began just as Ronald Reagan was resurrecting Richard Nixon’s War on Drugs, was no stranger to it. OK.
“When I hear that argument, ‘Oh, we should do this, we should do that’ — it’s actually important and fair legislation for the American people,” he said. I was a supporter of the war on drugs. I have been here a long time. […] It’s not a gateway drug. I was convinced of it. »
Closely watched debate in Canada
Friday’s debate and vote was closely watched by industry players in Canada, where cannabis has been legal since 2018 and growers and retailers are poised for the chance to expand into the United States. and defend their market share on the other side of the border.
Most agree that while legalization south of the border may not be imminent, it’s probably more a question of when it will happen.
“I do think it’s going to happen,” said Omar Khan, vice president of public and corporate affairs for High Tide, a Calgary-based cannabis retailer with operations in Canada, the United States and Europe.
“We are taking a cautiously optimistic approach. I think we are aware that getting full decriminalization or legalization through the Senate right now is not a sure thing. Let’s just put it this way. »
Even though President Joe Biden was adamant during the 2020 election campaign about the need to reform marijuana laws, the silence from the White House since taking office has been deafening, said David Culver, vice president. president of global government relations for Canopy Growth, based in Smiths Falls, Ontario.
Asked about the White House’s position on Friday, press secretary Jen Psaki acknowledged that the president supports taking a new approach to drugs, but would not elaborate on what measures he would like to see. .
“Our current marijuana laws are not working (and) it is agreed that we need to rethink our approach,” said M.me Psaki.
“We look forward to working with Congress to achieve our common goals, and we will continue to engage with them on that goal. »
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in supporting the bill that Democrats are simply acknowledging the realities of nearly half a century of failed federal drug policies.