The bill was introduced with other Senate Democrats.
U.S. Senator John Fetterman recently joined Senate Democrats in reintroducing the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act. The legislation would legalize marijuana at the federal level.
“I’ve always been very pro-weed. In a very libertarian slant: I’m not going to judge anyone for using it to knock the edge off of life. I think your path to wellness should be without judgement or punishment – legal, safe, and regulated. I supported President Biden and President Trump when they took steps on the issue. But it is time for Congress to stop dicking around and make weed legal. This bill is a good step forward,” said Fetterman in a recent statement.
The legislation would establish a Center for Cannabis Products to regulate production, labeling, distribution, sales, and other elements of the industry. It would require the FDA to establish labeling standards for cannabis products, as well as increase funding for substance use disorder treatment.
The bill would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and encourage cannabis research.
The proposal would not only decriminalize and deschedule cannabis at the federal level, but it would also allow for resentencing and expungement of criminal records for some cannabis offenses.
Two dozen states and Washington, D.C. have legalized adult recreational cannabis. Pennsylvania is one of 40 states that have legalized medical marijuana use.
The bill would establish programs to prevent youth cannabis use and require the Department of Transportation to create standards for cannabis-impaired driving.
The bill was introduced without the support of any Republicans, and is expected to meet pushback among conservatives.
In Harrisburg, efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use have not been successful.
In December, President Trump signed an executive order to expedite the process of rescheduling marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
In April, the Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Agency reclassified FDA-approved products containing marijuana as Schedule III drugs, placing them in the same category as Tylenol. All other marijuana remains a Schedule I drug with substances such as heroin and LSD.
