USA: federal legalization of cannabis continues to make its way through Congress

Two months later the adoption of Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act by the House Judiciary Committee, the issue of federal cannabis legalization will be further discussed by the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee on January 15.

NEWS: Health Subcommittee announces a legislative hearing on current and future federal cannabis policies.

- Energy & Commerce Democrats (@EnergyCommerce) January 8, 2020

«As public opinion continues to evolve and cannabis policies change at all levels of government, it's important to bring federal agency representatives together to discuss current and future federal cannabis policies,» said Frank Pallone, member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee and Chairman of the Health Committee.

Anna Eshoo said in a joint statement: «We are particularly interested in examining the implications of changing the classification of cannabis, the potential for research and federal efforts to study and approve products containing cannabis. cannabidiol. »

Beyond this announcement, the subcommittee has yet to disclose exactly which bill it might discuss at the hearing. The press release promises to provide the committee's memorandum, the list of experts who will testify and a list of bills to be considered, but no details have yet filtered through. The hearing will be broadcast live.

«The Energy and Commerce Commission looking at cannabis reform is an unprecedented and welcome development,» Justin Strekal, NORML's political director, told Marijuana Moment. «As the MORE Act follows its [legislative] course, the House is poised to become the first chamber of Congress in history to pass a bill to end the ban.»

Earlier this week, the More Act passed another milestone, after the Small Business Committee agreed to cede jurisdiction over the bill. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, who is carrying the bill, told Marijuana Moment that he was ‘having conversations’ with other committee chairmen to see if they would also relinquish jurisdiction, allowing the bill to move more quickly to a vote.

«I don't think it's a big deal,» said Nadler. ‘We're looking forward to taking the next step when we've done more educational work and have the votes.»

The bill must pass through several committees, including Agriculture, Education and Labor or Ways and Means before it can be put to a full vote.

Most of these committees have not announced their intention to debate or cede jurisdiction over the bill, leaving its future uncertain. A National Resources Committee official told Marijuana Moment that he «wouldn't put us as a potential obstacle» to the bill's success, however, removing one more hurdle on the road to federal legalization.