United States: Marijuana Justice Act introduced in the House of Representatives

Jeff Sessions' decision to remove federal protections surrounding the cannabis situation in the US states is thus challenged twice in two weeks.

Yesterday we were talking about a bill to prevent the Ministry of Justice to intervene in cannabis-related operations as long as these activities comply with state or local laws.

Today, another text was presented to the House of Representatives: the Marijuana Justice Act, The bill was introduced in a similar fashion in the Senate last August by Congressman Cory Booker. The bill simply wants to put an end to federal cannabis prohibition and repair the decades of injustice surrounding the racist repression of cannabis in the United States.

To remove the federal government's control over the status of cannabis, it would be removed from the U.S. list of controlled substances. Cannabis would then not be legal in all 50 US states, but each state could decide what to do with it.

Federal funds could also be used to encourage cannabis law reform in states where prohibition would disproportionately impact low-income people or people of color. Most studies on this subject have shown that these disproportionate effects occur in all states.

The project is also in line with California's proposal to abolish old cannabis-related penalties, and to create a fund to invest in communities affected by the war on drugs and cannabis prohibition.

«This legislation would end a destructive war on drugs,» explained Congresswoman Barbara Lee. «On day one, we have 12 supporters in the House. Which is truly remarkable.»

«This bill is truly an essential step in correcting the injustices of the war on drugs,» she added.

The progress of the bill is likely to be chaotic, as it has to be voted on by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, but Jeff Sessions is pushing the states to mobilize to defend their interests. It's a cat-and-mouse game we'll be keeping a close eye on.