U.S. House votes to decriminalize marijuana at federal level

By Susan Cornwell

 

FILE PHOTO: Marijuana enthusiasts gather after midnight to celebrate the legalization of recreational use of marijuana in Portland, Oregon July 1, 2015. REUTERS/Steve Dipaola

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Friday to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, but the legislation is not expected to advance further as long as the Senate remains in Republican hands.

 

It was the first time either chamber of Congress has voted to end the federal ban on marijuana since the drug was listed as a "controlled substance" in 1970.

 

Fifteen U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of marijuana, and over 30 states allow some form of the drug for medicinal purposes. U.S. cannabis sales hit record levels over the Thanksgiving weekend.

 

But the federal ban on the drug persists, which creates conflicts with state laws and limits cannabis companies' access to banking services and funding.

 

The Democratic-majority House voted 228-164, largely along party lines, to lift the federal prohibition. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, is an opponent of the change, meaning a decriminalization proposal is unlikely to see Senate action unless Democrats manage to win both Georgia Senate seats and with them Senate control in a Jan. 5 runoff election.

 

The bill the House passed would allow states to regulate marijuana, Representative Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat and co-chairman of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said in debate.

 

“This legislation does not legalize cannabis across the country. It stops the federal government from interfering with what states have decided to do," he said.

 

Republican Representative Debbie Lesko said she found it incredible that Democrats were talking about "legalizing marijuana" instead of focusing on passing more relief from the coronavirus pandemic. "Sometimes I think that the world is turned upside down," she said.

 

In fact, the House in May passed a mammoth coronavirus aid bill, but it did not advance in the Republican-run Senate.

Negotiations are underway on a smaller compromise bill.

 

The cannabis bill would expunge federal marijuana convictions and impose a 5% tax on cannabis products. The revenue raised would help reinvest in communities most adversely impacted by enforcement of the law, Blumenauer said.

 

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-05

 

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The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

Must.

Win.

Georgia!

This could be the issue that does that.

Among the people, there is strong bipartisan support for legalization.

 

The Chance for Marijuana Legalization Rests In Georgia (forbes.com)

 

Quote

Just when we thought election season was over, supporters of marijuana legalization are gearing up for one last major fight of the season. That is because the last hope for full cannabis legalization at the federal level fully depends on the outcome of two special elections for U.S. Senate in Georgia on January 3, 2021. 

 

7 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

So are you suggesting making alcohol illegal?
Been there, done that.

19 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

Then you get clowns like Mitch McConnell and you DO realize what's wrong!

47 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So are you suggesting making alcohol illegal?
Been there, done that.

If you look at a country like India there are not many alcoholics. Why? They have  spiritual, community and cultural life that keeps them occupied. Young people are not getting into drugs and alcohol. So that is something western countries need to learn.

Well, I am pretty much in favor of anything that starts mellowing out people in the US!!

 

1 minute ago, Don Chance said:

If you look at a country like India there are not many alcoholics. Why? They have  spiritual, community and cultural life that keeps them occupied. Young people are not getting into drugs and alcohol. So that is something western countries need to learn.

Well, I certainly see enough stories about wedding parties in India where they are drinking the homemade hooch and a whole bunch end up dead.   

 

I don't think the US needs more religion.   Maybe a lot less, though.

 

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

While only anecdotal, the places I’ve been that have banned alcohol aren’t very ‘spiritual’.

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

 

enjoying your morning coffee don ? 

24 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

If you look at a country like India there are not many alcoholics. Why? They have  spiritual, community and cultural life that keeps them occupied. Young people are not getting into drugs and alcohol. So that is something western countries need to learn.

 

If you believe India has minimal issues with illegal drugs and alcohol, think you're being overly romantic POV of Indian society. e.g.

 

Alcohol consumption is emerging as a major public health problem in India. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7014857/

I’m for decriminalizeing cannibs as long as it’s treated the same as booze in the workplace and driving under the influence it certainly doesent merit draconian prison time 

This is great news.  Time to end the war on this drug.  It just doesn't work.  Sadly, the reaper, Mitch McConnell, won't even take up this legislation.  He's in charge of the worst performing senate in decades.

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

If you look at a country like India there are not many alcoholics. Why? They have  spiritual, community and cultural life that keeps them occupied.

 

There are not many of a lot of things in India....like toilets, for example. Not sure how spirituality makes up for that.

 

 

2 hours ago, Don Chance said:

The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

Agree 110 %...spiritually dead

2 hours ago, Don Chance said:

The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

You're missing the point entirely.  There is proven medicinal use from this plant.  With or without the THC.  Help is a great natural product to use in a variety of manners.  And locking someone up just because they smoked a joint isn't right.  It's a felony in some states, stays on your record for ever, and can eliminate you from some jobs.

 

As they've stated, alcohol is way worse.  Millions are addicted and die every year from this.  I'd suggest it'd be better if they got stoned! LOL

3 hours ago, Don Chance said:

The western world is so spiritually dead they need drugs and alcohol just to mentally survive. You get a whole country drunk and stoned and nobody realized what is really wrong.

If so, it's been dead for thousands of years. Or do you believe alcohol is a recent arrival? Or that heavy drinking is a recent innovation?

 

The United Nations no longer classifies cannabis as one of the 'most dangerous drugs'.

In a historic decision by the UN Narcotics Commission, cannabis is re-classified in terms of its dangerousness - it follows the WHO.

4th December 2020

 

UN commission reclassifies cannabis, no longer considered risky narcotic - 02DEC20

 

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079132

 

 

59 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

This is great news.  Time to end the war on this drug.  It just doesn't work.  Sadly, the reaper, Mitch McConnell, won't even take up this legislation.  He's in charge of the worst performing senate in decades.

McConnell will veto this because the Prison Industry Lobby will tell him to veto this.

2 hours ago, Don Chance said:

If you look at a country like India there are not many alcoholics. Why? They have  spiritual, community and cultural life that keeps them occupied. Young people are not getting into drugs and alcohol. So that is something western countries need to learn.

I am guessing you have never been to India ? I spent nearly two years there and the whole country is like a big insane asylum. BTW Don, If you are interested theres some great hashish to be had up in the himachal pradesh.

15 minutes ago, CraigInBangkok said:

I am guessing you have never been to India ? I spent nearly two years there and the whole country is like a big insane asylum. BTW Don, If you are interested theres some great hashish to be had up in the himachal pradesh.

Don should take his brothers Fat and No and go to India and suck on a few big chillums! 

About time!

Wow!

 

Although some say the political divide is great, and that we agree on very few issues, decriminalizing, and legalizing both medical and recreational cannabis, polls quite high, like in the 65 % - 70 % range.

 

And in recent election news/results:

 

All five states that had a cannabis legalization measure on the ballot this week passed their measure:

 

In Arizona, Proposition 207 passed with almost 60% of the vote, legalizing cannabis use for adults age 21 and older.

In Mississippi, voters chose between two medical cannabis legalization measures and ended up approving the more open one (Initiative 65), which allows medical cannabis use for people with 22 “debilitating conditions.”

People in Montana voted to approve Initiative 190, which legalizes cannabis use for adults over the age of 21. This initiative also imposes a 20% sales tax on marijuana sales.

New Jersey voters overwhelmingly approved Public Question 1 on the ballot, which asked if they supported marijuana legalization in the state for adults over the age of 21.

South Dakota made history as the first state to approve both medical and recreational cannabis measures at the same time.

 

 

Would be fantastic if the US and other countries enacted decriminalising marijuana, so many wasted lives associated with gang violence from dealing and jail time for users. Keep in-place similar laws for DUI, no problem.

9 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Don should take his brothers Fat and No and go to India and suck on a few big chillums! 

twenty five years on, and I think my lungs still havn't forgiven me for all that chillum abuse and my @rsehole is definitely still angry at India.

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

He's in charge of the worst performing senate in decades.

And he's proud of the job he's doing. 

 

 

Was in Khandahar, Afghanistan during those few years in the 1970s when peace broke out.  A taxi driver asked me if I brought any alcohol, of course not.  He asked why Westerners don't bring booze.  He then sold me some hashish.

 

Certain states in India have legal cannabis.  Sold in gov't-licensed shops.  They usually also have other things that may be beyond the law.

 

 

Edited December 5, 20205 yr by bendejo

58 minutes ago, CraigInBangkok said:

twenty five years on, and I think my lungs still havn't forgiven me for all that chillum abuse and my @rsehole is definitely still angry at India.

Does that mean the rumor is true? They are well-endowed?

"U.S. cannabis sales hit record levels over the Thanksgiving weekend. "  With the general response at the Thanksgiving table being: "This is the most delicious turkey I have ever tasted!"

4 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

Does that mean the rumor is true? They are well-endowed?

I was talking ejecting dirty radiator water at 3000mph, not injecting anything in