EDITORS NOTE: An earlier version of this article stated “Congress” passed the bill when the “House of Representatives” passed the bill. The title has been changed to correct the error.
The United States House of Representatives for the first time in history voted to pass a bill that would federally decriminalize marijuana.
The MORE Act – Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 —
They passed 228 to 164 nearly down strict party lines.
5 Republicans and one former Republican turned-Libertarian Justin Amash voted for the bill. The five Republicans included Reps. Matt Gaetz (FL), Brian Mast (FL), Tom McClintock (CA), Denver Riggleman (VA), and Don Young (AK).
Six democrats opposed the legislation: Reps. Cheri Bustos (IL), Henry Cuellar (TX), Conor Lamb (PA), Dan Lipinski (IL), Chris Pappas (NH), Collin Peterson (MN).
According to Congress.gov the bill removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates penalties for those who manufacture, distribute, or possess the plant.
The bill also replaces references to marijuana and marijuana with cannabis and imposes a 5% tax on cannabis which will be deposited into a trust fund which will fund various programs for individuals and communities impacted by the war on drugs.
The bill now moves onto the Senate where Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is the lead sponsor of the Senate version of the bill.
The bill will have an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Great can we save people vote the 908 billion pkg
The way to save the most people is to lockdown for awhile.
That isn’t proven by science. Lockdowns generally create psychological problems, number of suicides go up, children are most in peril because their parents take out their frustration at the lockdown on their children.
But worse, it enables our government to have much more power than it is granted by the Constitution, and that means politicians will be make decisions for you that affect you life and your livelihood, while they don’t abide by the rules they make for you.
All this for a stupid over-reaction to a disease that’s fatality rate is so low it’s hardly quantifiable. Americans are so risk averse that they’d sacrifice their Constitutional freedoms for a little temporary and imagined safety.
The 908 billion pkg is pure Socialism.
When approximately 70% of persons under the age of 50 have used or are now using marijuana, or a product of marijuana, for pain and other things including relaxation. Why not put in on the ballot in 2022, and let the people decide.
Because they are fairly sure it will not pass. This is a George Soros thing he wants passed . Check out the facts and they go back years.
Yeah – dumb down America even more.
They want us more submissive and drugs will do just that.
People get so aggressive on alcohol.
Cannabis saves lives.
When did George Soros come out for pot?
Pot passed on every ballot it was on in November.
It is legal to grow, possess and consume in 34 states now.
Likely 40+ come 2024 looking at the track record.
Check out the facts and they go back years.
68% percent of Americans are pro legalization.
Problem is, it creates a group of unemployable if they have to pass a drug screen. An unintended consequence perhaps, or maybe part of a larger goal to put everyone on the government dole?
I live in Oregon where they passed Marijuana legislation a few years ago. I was working in an assisted living facility and these young people would go on break and go out to smoke pot. That shouldn’t be permitted anymore than allowing someone to drink on the job. Also, how do you determine how much they have in their system. Believe me, Pot does not help people to drive more carefully. The accident fatality rate here has skyrocketed since all of these drug bills are supposedly passing. Everyone gets to be on a high 24/7. Now watch what that does to our Youth!
Being pot high on the job, like being drunk, should not be allowed.
It took 200 hundred years to come up with the breathalyzer.
It is within technologies reach to do the same with pot.
Would you object to an assisted living worker having had smoked pot 24 hours before their shift.
Assisted living facilities are hard to staff.
Very stressful work.
So much pain.
It pays so poorly.
You are absolutely wrong on the accident fatality rate. It has not increased in states with legal cannabis any more than in non-legal states. This is easy data to confirm. It’s not an opinion.
How Much has the fatality gone up?
Should you get fired on Monday if you were dead drunk Saturday night?
Should you get fired on Monday if you took a couple of hits of pot Saturday before last?
Yes. Show up high, get fired.
I am all for that.
When it comes to cannabis how can you tell if they are high at work?
Give them urine drug screen?
Cannabis is in your urine for a good week after ingestion.
As is alcohol.
But we do not test that.
There would be hardly any workers left.
Only if you show up high or drunk to the job.
If you show up at work a week after you drank it will show in your urine.
Should you be fired for that?
Or just cannabis?
When it is decriminalize. It will no longer be an illegal drug, people with medical cards for this cannot be penalized by employer’s. Just like any present prescriptions.
Wrong.
If you have a medical card, even as a veteran and hold a Coast Guard license and you flunk a pee test your employer will fire you.
The Coast Coast has zero tolerance
The Coast Guard has a long list of prescriptions they will not allow you to use and keep your license.
Private industry has similar latitude, particularly where the operation any machinery is involved.
Should employees be fired if the residue of alcohol can be found in their urine?
Don’t Worry or waste time with legislation preventing Voter Fraud, let all just get stoned, pathetic.
Exactly! Drugged out people are very good at fraud! Watch the homeless rate skyrocket too.
Susana get a brain.
Drugged out people are not good at anything, especially deception.
I’m pretty sure Susana’s comment was meant as sarcasm, check the final section.
Wrong.
Susana knows that only Liberals smoke cannabis.
As we all know, all Liberals are fraudulent.
Of course there was voter fraud.
There always is.
Was it enough to change the outcome?
There are two parts of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The headline should read “House Passes Historic Bill.”
That’s exactly what it says.
The email with the link stated Congress
Same thing.
I do believe they said “Congress” Passes Historic Bill.
No. It was ‘House Passes Historic Bill’ on this email announcement anyway.
They said:
House Passes Historic Bill
Congress usually refers to the House.
It can refer to both.
Congress is both the House and Senate, together.
I had no idea…
Well i guess you can smoke your way to comfort then you do not have to feel guilty for not voting for Voter Protections and Against Voter Fraud, that are much more needed and abused than Maryjane ever was. Just sayin.
People will be needing it to deal with a Biden administration. Those who voted him in will be looking to escape the guilt. Those who didn’t – well, who knows. Just another way to escape reality.
People who voted for Trump in 2016 escaped their guilt.
Maybe they had no guilt.
Then why did they vote for Biden?
Hahahaha Hahahahaha you’re just silly!!! :o)
Or you could be a smoker and vote, hopefully in a libertarian sense. Can you drink your way there?
There are no prohibitions against voting drunk or stoned.
Should there be?
Yes, absolutely.
A breathalyzer test to to enter the polling place?
How much will that cost?
So many of our Veterans smoke their way to comfort.
PTSD
How many fraudulent votes were cast on Nov 3rd?
Where?
Were any of them for Trump?
Just for her having her name attached to it I would vote it down.
You misspelled “criminal-elect.”
Wow! This is sick! Just as we are working so desperately on addiction you want to legalize marijuana🥺😩😡 Say NO to drugs! Definitely other ways to find relaxation!!
Cannabis is now legal to consume in 49 States and DC.
A very large number of our Veterans ust it (PTSD).
Say NO to drugs!
Start with sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and OTC cold remedies. .
Having lived with a young person who smoke pot I know firsthand that they don t care whats happening in their country..all they care about is pot, goodies and cartoons
Sad to say but it’s true. I think they will all live in the cities. wouldn’t be able to afford a car, leave alone car insurance. Good kids (who have responsible parents) will do ok. They’ll just not mix with the kids on pot. Going to be lonely for both sides! I SURE wouldn’t hire a pot smoker!! I don’t know what they think they are going to do to make money??
A young person does not have to smoke weed to like goodies and cartoons.
Creative types in both industry and entertainment tend to smoke weed.
Richard Branson
Steve Jobs
Sergey Brin
Michael Blomberg
Martha Stewart
The young person you lived was a lazy slug.
Why would we enable people who often become irrational when on any kind of drug? Marijuana usually leads to other drugs creating more drug addicted people and more needy children as well as more homeless people and crime.she
If you think people were psychotic before this passes, then watch what happens now. Psychosis will jump 1000%. An epidemiologist said that Marijuana makes people Psychotic. FACT!
Which epidemiologist?
Medical cannabis has been legal for 34 years, recreational for 8 years, where, in fact, is the 1000% jump in psychosis?
Cannabis is used to treat psychosis.
“Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating constituent of the cannabis plant, has emerged as a potential novel class of antipsychotic with a unique mechanism of action.”
I’m not an advocate of Pot Smoking. I’ve seen the damage it can do to individuals, because it always leads to harder drugs. If anyone says it does not, they are liars. Alcohol mixed with Pot is lethal. I hope this doesn’t just DUMB DOWN Americans like it is doing in Oregon. They also legalized Meth and Mushrooms. Great…keep Portland Weird will definitely be the norm now. Smelling Meth Cooking all over the place now.
There is no elected POTUS so presumably this article is biased an inaccurate.
Trump was not elected?
How did he get in the White House.
Joe Biden has been elected the President Of The United States Of America by a clear majority of the votes, both General and Electoral College ..
Hey moron; This low life slime “Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ” is STILL only a senator if that.
Hey low life slime, she will be Vice-President on Jan. 20.
That is wonderful now I must go PLAY , HERE COME’S JOHNY REFER SEED PLANTING ALL HIS LITTLE WEEDS . But of course I must go pick a few buds and put in my survival backpack and some in my pipe and enjoy til the war in UNITED STATES BEGINS . I DO LOVE MY COUNTRY AND MOST EVERYONE IN IT I KNOW THERE ARE SOME BAD BUT AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT PUSHING FOR THIS COMMUNIST CRAP I COULD EVEN GET ALONG WITH THEM . I WILL DIE FIGHTING SMOKING A BIG BUD .
PEACE IN USA 🇺🇸 OR DIE FIGHTING I WONT GIVE UP !!!
Communist countries do not allow cannabis.
One issue I think should have passed years ago. For all you alcoholic drinkers shut up and have another sip cause you have no right to tell others your drug is better than theirs. If there is a drug that makes people stupid, by the numbers it’s alcohol.
Get out of here you Liberal Troll.
You smell bad.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
So they’re going to legalize a mind altering drug so they can tax it and use the money to fight the “war on drugs”?!?! Sounds legit. 🤦♀️
It’s the same as the taxes on alcohol being used to fight the war on drunks
America is the land of the free.
Free to get drunk.
Free to get stoned.
Free to support Trump. .
there is no such ‘office ‘as vice pres elect , and wow a ..creature, that has made a name for sending ‘other’ users of weed to jail is now trying to decriminalize it. pretty sure Kam is only in the senate due to demoninain vote assist technology .
Yea, what a hypocrite. She should be ashamed of herself. She has no shame.
The office is like President Elect
You get office space and funding until Donny and his lovely bride move out of the White House.
Kommie Harris is NOT “vice-president elect”. Not unless the Electoral College says so.
The GSA said so.
Great I can’t wait for LSD , Cocaine. And Nazi Crack
Why should they be illegal?
This is NUTS!
68%, and. growing, of Americans favor legalization
It is nuts do deny it.
Robert they would be counting ballots and forgetting what they counted because they had the Munchies Maaaannnn!
I am for it. It’s a Darwin thing. If your kids get hooked it takes them out of competition for college spots and job opportunities my kids are seeking. If my kids get addicted I didn’t teach them or supervise them well enough. Shame on me and them. All down through central and South America innocent people are dying due to illegal drug trade. I would much rather see the end user die from drug use than the innocent civilian who happened to be at the wrong place and time and is killed by narcoterrorist. Drug addiction isn’t an accident contrary to what media and liberals would have you believe. To get addicted you must either snort, inject, swallow or smoke it to get hooked. Lots of poor people not drug addicts so don’t feed the bad environment crap. I’m calling out the emperor’s new clothes on this.
but they can’t be bothered to help the American people with the relieve package sitting on the witches desk for 5 months.
Donny said he would not sign the relieve package sitting on the witches desk for 5 months.
If I’m an insurance company I’d NOT sell any form of insurance to people who use pot.
It’s problematic, especially for DUI’s.
If I’m an insurance company I’d NOT sell any form of insurance to people who use alcohol.
It’s problematic, especially for DUI’s.
Now we know about who in Congress uses drugs.
About time! There is no reason pot should be illegal! FYI……I do NOT smoke weed. But if I needed to (or even wanted to), it’s none of the governments business!
GOOD! Here is hoping it passes. Maybe Democrats will be doped up enough to forget about voting.
I don’t think they need it to get doped up unless that’s what has been doping them up for years already.
Why did you call Kameltoe “president elect”? She wont be president elect until the electoral college declares so. Please stop with the misinformation campaign,
Well here’s hoping the dement-o-craps will be too stoned to realize a civil war is raining hell down on them.
Will the Proud Boys fire the first volly?
I used it for years to help me with insomnia. I would still use it if it were legal. But I think it should be illegal to drive while smoking and I don’t think its safe to work while using either. For use at home or if you are not driving or intend to would be fine.
You must be in of those two Red states where it is still illegal.
My use is also for insomnia.
I have never operated any machinery under the influence.
At some point in time they will come up with a test that indicates your current under the influence level similar to a breathalyzer.
If you are under DOT (plane boat and truck drivers) and your drug screen breathalyzer.
comes in at .01 you lose your license, not the .08 that is considered to be under the influence.
It’s legal in 48 states.
What cop where is going to give you hard time for smoking at home?
Unless he was holding a grudge.
The taxes for selling of Drugs goes to a fund that helps get people on Drug off or help???
What is wrong with this whole thing?? LEGALIZING DRUGS AND THE TAXES GO TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE SAME DRUGS THEY JUST LEGALIZED…DUH?????
In October 2018, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) performed a pair of studies. They discovered that there were 6% more traffic accidents in states where weed is legalized. This increase was in comparison to neighboring locations where marijuana is still illegal.
Marijuana is an intoxicant that can slow down a person’s reflexes and make them less aware of other motorists. However, it isn’t easy to measure the level of THC in a person’s blood. In Colorado, for example, law enforcement can arrest motorists that have 5 nanograms of THC in their blood.
There is little scientific research to determine how that figure, or any other figure for that matter, correlates with impairment. It is entirely plausible to have 5+ nanograms in your blood even if you haven’t used weed for several days. Regular users could quickly build up a tolerance, and 5 nanograms of THC wouldn’t cause impairment in their blood.
Does this apply to Medical Marijunaa too?
And we think God should save a “good” America? To the new American standard of murdering our babies, institutionalizing sodomy, sanctioning every “god” imaginable, we can now be “legally” stoned when Jesus returns. This is called chaos and mayhem, the tool of the devil and our anti-Christian society is embracing it with both arms. Then we think we deserve a President Like Trump – we deserve Biden, Obama, Clinton, ad nauseum.
If America has any true hope, she better get down on her knees “in sack cloth and ashes,” confess her collective sins and pray for one more chance.
We are living by the whims of pop culture nowadays. Somehow smoke from the tobacco plant is very bad for you while smoke from the marijuana plant is good for you. Are we gong to still have smoke-free restaurants, bars, etc. or only tobacco-free restaurants, bars, etc.?