A bill to legalize cannabis federally has been reintroduced in Congress, led by Democratic Senators Cory Booker (NJ), Chuck Schumer (NY), and Ron Wyden (OR). The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would completely remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and establish a Center for Cannabis Products to regulate production, labeling, distribution, sales, and other manufacturing and retail elements of the cannabis industry.
In a statement, Booker said, if approved, the legislation would “dismantle the unjust and outdated federal marijuana prohibition, establish a federal regulatory framework to protect public health and safety, expunge past convictions for low-level cannabis offenses, and deliver restorative justice to the communities most harmed by decades of failed drug policy.”
The measure seeks to instructing the Food and Drug Administration to establish labeling standards for cannabis products, including potency, doses, servings, place of manufacture, and directions for use; establish programs and funding to prevent youth cannabis use; and increase funding for comprehensive opioid, stimulant, and substance use disorder treatment.
“The over-criminalization of cannabis has destroyed far too many lives, disproportionately harming communities of color. Our Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act is necessary and would correct historical wrongs while investing in safety, research, workers’ rights, and banking accessibility for industry. The movement is budding,
