Alaska Congressman Don Young was one of only five Republicans to vote for a bill that would decriminalize marijuana.
The bill passed 228-164 but is unlikely to go further before Congress adjourns.
Young, who does not advocate for marijuana use, is nonetheless co-chair of the House Cannabis Caucus.
“I’m a conservative, Republican … but I believe in state’s rights,” he said in 2017, when the caucus was announced. (A caucus, in this sense, is a group of like-minded lawmakers who come together to advance a particular issue.) He said the federal government should not overrule the voters in his state.
Alaska and 14 other states have legalized cannabis for recreational use by adults. A majority of states allow it for medical purposes.
Passage of the House bill is a significant milestone for the movement to make cannabis legal nationwide, but the legislation is not likely to pass…
