US House will vote on removing cannabis from list of controlled substances

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WPDE) — The U.S. House will vote in September on a bill to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act as well as erase some marijuana criminal records, according to The Hill.

The bill would not legalize the drug. That choice is still left up to the states, but it is still a historic step in the effort to reduce legal penalties related to the drug.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 was first introduced by House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler last fall and passed the panel by a 24-10 vote in November.

Currently, Marijuana is legal in 11 states.

The vote in September will be the first taken by either chamber of Congress to take marijuana off the Controlled Substances Act.

As of right now, Cannabis is listed as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning there is a high chance for abuse and no medical benefits.

Removing the drug from the list would eliminate the federal prohibition on the drug but leave in place state laws making it illegal.

It would also remove criminal records and provide grant funding for people who have been negatively impacted by the enforcement of marijuana laws.

If the measure passes the House, it could stall in the Republican-controlled Senate.