Marijuana, a drug commonly used in the United States, has also been one of the most widely debated substances. While some argue that decriminalization or legalization will help boost the economy and ensure it is safely regulated, others suggest that the drug is addictive and that legalizing it could increase dependence, particularly among teens.
The US House on Friday passed legislation that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, marking the first time that either chamber of Congress has voted to legalize marijuana.
The legislation, called the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, was passed on a party-line vote of 228-164.
“The MORE Act is a common-sense bill that will make a tangible, real difference in the lives of millions of Americans. I’m proud of this bill centered around ideals of racial, economic, and moral justice and I look forward to the House passing it today,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who introduced the bill, tweeted before the bill was voted on.
The GOP-controlled Senate, however, is not expected to vote for legislation which would remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances, expunging some marijuana convictions for nonviolent criminals, and impose a 5% sales tax on cannabis products.
The bill would also ban the “denial of…
