The US House of Representatives passed a bill that would decriminalize marijuana and expunge nonviolent marijuana-related convictions.
The Breakdown
228-164 to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.
All but 6 Democrats voted YES
All but 5 Republicans voted NO
1 independent voted YES
The New York Time wrote: "The 228-164 vote to approve the measure was bipartisan, and it was the first time either a chamber of Congress had ever endorsed the legalization of cannabis. The bill would remove the drug from the Controlled Substances Act and authorize a 5 percent tax on marijuana that would fund community and small business grant programs to help those most impacted by the criminalization of marijuana."
According to experts, The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act) is not likely to pass in the Republican-led Senate.
Here’s what the MORE Act would do:
Remove federal penalties on marijuana
Expunge some records
Levy a tax on cannabis products
Create grant programs
See article in The New York Times
