In a vote that is largely seen as symbolic, the U.S. House of Representatives in December approved legislation that decriminalizes marijuana at the federal level. While enactment this year isn’t expected, it’s a first for Congress and could portend some type of decriminalization legislation finding its way to the President’s desk in the not-too-distant future. And that, in turn, would mean more payment acceptance choices for businesses selling cannabis and related products and services.
The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act — which removes cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) — also creates a framework for erasing non-violent federal marijuana convictions and tax sales of cannabis to invest in communities severely impacted by the war on drugs. The bill doesn’t stand a chance in the Senate because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who controls what legislation is voted on in that chamber, is on record opposing any loosening of federal marijuana laws. But the House vote, which was largely along party lines in the Democratic Party-controlled chamber, is seen as a major step forward on several counts.
For starters, the passing of the MORE Act marks the first time in history that a chamber of Congress has approved legislation decriminalizing marijuana. This makes the…
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In a vote that is largely seen as symbolic, the U.S. House of Representatives in December approved legislation that decriminalizes marijuana at the federal level. While enactment this year isn’t expected, it’s a first for Congress and could portend some type of decriminalization legislation finding its way to the President’s desk in the not-too-distant future. And that, in turn, would mean more payment acceptance choices for businesses selling cannabis and related products and services.
The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act — which removes cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) — also creates a framework for erasing non-violent federal marijuana convictions and tax sales of cannabis to invest in communities severely impacted by the war on drugs. The bill doesn’t stand a chance in the Senate because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who controls what legislation is voted on in that chamber, is on record opposing any loosening of federal marijuana laws. But the House vote, which was largely along party lines in the Democratic Party-controlled chamber, is seen as a major step forward on several counts.
For starters, the passing of the MORE Act marks the first time in history that a chamber of Congress has approved legislation decriminalizing marijuana. This makes the…
