As congressional lawmakers work to advance federal marijuana legalization, a bipartisan duo on Thursday filed a bill that would incentivize states and local governments to expunge cannabis records in their jurisdictions. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are sponsoring the legislation, titled the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act. It would encourage […]| Marijuana Moment
The Senate will vote to pass a bill to federally legalize marijuana within the next two years. That’s according to the top Democratic lawmaker who is expected to be installed as majority leader following his party’s projected clean sweep in this week’s two Georgia runoff elections that will give them control of the chamber. Coupled […]| Marijuana Moment
President-elect Joe Biden has picked the current attorney general of California to lead serve as the next federal secretary of health and human services, a position that could play a central role in loosening laws prohibiting marijuana. That seems to be good news for legalization advocates, as Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) has a considerable […]| Marijuana Moment
President Joe Biden’s pick for attorney general said on Monday that it is not “a useful use of limited resources” to go after people who are complying with state marijuana laws. He also citied cannabis enforcement as an example of the racially discriminatory impact of the criminal justice system. Judge Merrick Garland, whose views on […]| Marijuana Moment
President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that he is taking dramatic steps to change federal marijuana laws and provide relief to drug war victims—an unexpected development that comes roughly a month before the November election. The president is initiating an administrative review of federal marijuana scheduling, and he also said that he will be granting […]| Marijuana Moment
President Joe Biden’s nominee to serve as U.S. attorney general has reiterated in written testimony to multiple senators that he does not feel the Department of Justice should be using its resources to prosecute people who are acting in compliance with state marijuana laws. In a series of responses to questions from lawmakers who followed […]| Marijuana Moment
President Joe Biden has announced that his administration is officially moving to reschedule marijuana under federal law, applauding the “monumental” action that follows an extensive administrative review that he directed. The Justice Department will soon post its proposed rule to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in […]| Marijuana Moment
A coalition of 14 Republican congressional lawmakers is urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to “reject” the top federal health agency’s recommendation to reschedule marijuana and instead keep it in the most restrictive category under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). In a letter sent to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram on Monday, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) […]| Marijuana Moment
The Biden administration’s proposed rule to federally reschedule marijuana has officially been posted, kicking off a public comment period that’s expected to elicit a major response from supporters and opponents of cannabis reform alike. About a week after President Joe Biden and the Justice Department both confirmed that they are seeking to move cannabis from […]| Marijuana Moment
As Election Day approaches, drug policy has again emerged as a key campaign issue for incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump—with each candidate’s policy positions around marijuana coming back into focus. Biden’s campaign is hoping to leverage the popularity of cannabis reform, highlighting his mass pardons and scheduling review directive that has […]| Marijuana Moment
The Justice Department says it is interested in receiving public comments on the “unique economic impacts” of its marijuana rescheduling proposal given that state-level legalization has created a “multibillion dollar industry” that stands to benefit from possible federal tax relief under the reform. In its notice of proposed rulemaking that’s set to be published in […]| Marijuana Moment